Yearly Archives: 2012

HISD Announces Partnership with Trees for Houston

The Houston Independent School District and Trees for Houston have announced a partnership to plant trees at several HISD campuses.   The Board of Education approved the partnership earlier this year.  The joint effort will support HISD’s ongoing commitment to promote green schools and eco-friendly academic environments.  On some campuses the trees will be watered by irrigation systems that use rainwater collected from school rooftops.

Trees for Houston will deliver a variety of drought tolerant trees to the schools at no cost to HISD.  Volunteers with the organization will also plant the trees on some campuses.

“We’re pleased HISD is joining with Trees for Houston to not only improve the aesthetics for these campuses but to teach students about the importance of protecting our environment,” said HISD Board of Education President Michael Lunceford.

HISD Trustee Harvin Moore who has been a big supporter of the unique partnership said school campuses serve as learning environments, parks, and natural oases in an urban setting.  “Trees are important to all of us, and as one of Houston’s largest property owners, HISD can make a big difference in keeping Houston green,” Moore said.               

Trees for Houston is a non-profit organization dedicated to planting, protecting, and promoting trees.  Its Trees for Schools program was developed to provide and plant much needed trees on Houston- area school campuses.

The organization’s Executive Director Barry Ward said the partnership is a great example of two organizations working together to accomplish more than either could alone.  “This program provides a vital improvement to the environment as well as the economic viability to the school campus and surrounding community,” said Ward.

Trees for Houston has planted more than 430,000 trees to benefit the Houston community in the past 29 years.

HISD Property Tax Rate to Remain Lowest in Harris County

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education today is scheduled to approve maintaining the lowest school property tax rate among the 26 school systems in Harris County.

Superintendent Terry Grier has recommended keeping the HISD property tax rate of $1.1567 per $100 taxable value despite the loss of $125.1 million in state funding over the past two years.  Since 2002:

 

  • Districtwide general fund spending is down $170 million, when adjusted for inflation. 
  • HISD building utility costs have climbed $18.6 million, a 40 percent increase. 
  • Spending on central administration has declined from 6.5 percent of the budget a decade ago to a projected 4 percent for the current 2012-2013 school year.

 

Harris County school districts with higher tax rates in 2011 than HISD include: Aldine, Alief, Channelview, Clear Creek, Crosby, Cypress-Fairbanks, Dayton, Deer Park, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Huffman, Humble, Katy, Klein, La Porte, New Caney, North Forest, Pasadena, Pearland, Sheldon, Spring, Spring Branch, Stafford, Tomball, and Waller. 

HISD’s property tax rate is a full 20 cents below the county average of $1.3576 per $100 taxable value.  This means the owner of a home with a taxable value of $200,000 in HISD pays about $400 less per year than the owner of a $200,000 home in another Harris County school district.  The savings are even greater in many cases, because HISD is among just eight Harris County school districts that grant homeowners an additional 20 percent homestead exemption.

HISD’s property tax rate would remain the lowest in Harris County, even if voters approve the proposed school construction bond referendum on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. 

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2012 in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th St., 77092).

The board is scheduled to receive status updates on a number of projects and vote on several programs, contracts, and grants. For a full copy of the Board meeting agenda, click here.  The board meeting will be carried live on HISD’s website and on the HISD Channel, which can be found on Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.

Blue Bell Ice Cream Rewards Project Chrysalis Middle School for Earning National Blue Ribbon Honor

Blue Bell Creameries will honor Project Chrysalis Middle School (4528 Leeland), one of two HISD schools named 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools, with a school-wide ice cream party on Thursday, Oct. 11.  A Blue Bell truck filled with ice cream will arrive at the school at noon to treat all of the students, teachers, and staff members. 

 The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program has honored more than 7,000 of America’s most successful schools for the past 30 years. This year 269 public and private schools across the country, including HISD’s East Early College High School, received the coveted award.  Blue Bell Creameries rewarded East Early College High School at a previous party.

Blue Ribbon Schools are selected based on two primary criteria.  They must be among the highest-performing schools in their state, or they are schools with at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have improved student performance to high levels.

This year’s winning schools will also be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington D.C. on Nov. 12-13, 2012.

Lee High School to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

The Lee High School Alumni Association is hosting a celebration of 50 years in education Oct. 25–27, 2012.

The centerpiece of the 50th “JubiLEE” weekend will be the Hall of Honor dinner at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, at the Westin Galleria Ballroom, where alumni such as Billy Gibbons (’65), Gib Walton (’68), the Honorable Bill Yeoman (’69), and Andy Fickman (’82), among others, will be honored.

The dinner will also recognize longtime faculty members Henri Gadbois and Eleanor Grant. The event is open to all former students, faculty, and staff.

For more information, please visit the Lee HS alumni website.

‘Champions for Children’ Inducted into 2012 Partnership Hall of Fame

HISD welcomed three new members into its 2012 Partnership Hall of Fame on Oct. 5.

The theme for this year’s appreciation breakfast was “Partnership Champions,” and KBR, the Port of Houston Authority, and Prepared 4 Life were all recognized for their efforts to “champion” public education by providing extra resources and opportunities for HISD students.
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HISD to Honor Partnership Champions with 2012 Hall of Fame Inductions

HISD will be celebrating three of its long-standing community partners by inducting them into the district’s 2012 Hall of Fame during the annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast on Friday, October 5 at 8:15a.m. at the Royal Sonesta Hotel (2222 West Loop South).

This year’s honorees, KBR, Port of Houston Authority, and Prepared 4 Life,will be recognized for their continued support and efforts to provide extra resources and opportunities for HISD students.

“We depend on our community partners to help us better serve our students and provide them opportunities that will prepare them for the workforce,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said.  “They are vital to the success of the children in Houston.  We can’t thank them enough for their continuous commitment to helping Houston’s students.”

The 2012 event’s theme, “Partnership Champions,” will recognize the partners’ efforts to go above and beyond to help HISD students achieve their dreams through their collaboration.

The KBR partnership began with the original HISD-Halliburton partnership in the 1980s.  This partnership provides HISD with volunteers and financial contributions as well as support for organizations that help the district’s students.  The KBR Discover Engineering group has volunteered for HISD programs as judges for science fairs, Youth Inventors’ Showcases, HISD/KBR Science Teacher Award, and FIRST Robotics Competitions.  KBR is known for its three year commitment of $25,000 per year beginning in 2009 for the KBR Science Teacher of the Year Award. 

The Port of Houston Authority began its partnership with HISD in 1986.  Since then, the partnership has evolved to focus on encouraging students to pursue career opportunities in maritime transportation or associated fields.  Thousands of students have taken tours of the Ship Channel on the Sam Houston inspection boat.  The cornerstone of this partnership is the maritime program at Austin and Yates high schools.  Students participating in the maritime program have the benefit of dual course credits, field trips, internships, college scholarship opportunities and maritime industry themed forums. Students also participate in the Port of Houston Authority/Texas Southern University summer transportation academy program and the Boy Scouts of America’s Venturing program.

Prepared 4 Life has been an HISD partner since 2005.  The partnership began with after-school activities offered at select middle schools to instill life skills, character education and self-reliance.  An E-mentoring program was later implemented to help students as well. Prepared 4 Life is noted for sponsoring Lemonade Day which began in 2007 and offers students entrepreneurial experience by encouraging them to select lemonade stand sites while schools choose to have school, grade-level, or classroom stands.  To extend the entrepreneurial experience to more students, Serving Up Lemonade was implemented in 2010 for sixth-grade students and expanded the next year to include seventh-grade students.

Vote early and vote the entire ballot

Voters looking to cast their ballots early or on Election Day should remember that this year’s ballot covers a lot of ground – from the presidential race to the Houston Independent School District’s proposed $1.89 billion bond.

The school district’s bid to modernize and rebuild schools across Houston will be near the end of the ballot, after voters choose their president, county judges, constables and decide for or against several other propositions.

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Hundreds More HISD Students Achieve College-Ready Scores on SAT

The number of Houston ISD students taking the SAT college entrance exam has nearly doubled in just two years, and the number of graduates scoring at college-ready levels on the SAT has hit a new record, according to figures released today. 

A score of 500 or better in each of the three SAT subjects – reading, math, and writing – is considered to be a strong sign that a student is prepared for college-level work.  The Houston Independent School District’s seniors of 2012 posted significant gains in this area since 2010.  In just two years, the number of HISD students scoring 500 or better has risen to 2,056 in reading (26 percent increase); 2,738 in math (41 percent increase); and 1,816 in writing (20 percent increase).

“HISD students and teachers are showing that they can meet the challenge when we raise expectations and increase the level of academic rigor in every classroom,” Superintendent Terry Grier said. “We should all be proud that hundreds more HISD graduates showed up to college this fall prepared to meet the challenge and succeed.”

In 2011, HISD became one of the very few school districts in America to offer every high school junior the chance to take the SAT for free during the school day.  Students also received free access to the College Board’s online SAT test preparation materials.  Typically, students must pay a fee and sign up to take the SAT on a weekend. 

HISD’s effort to increase access to the SAT exam paid off, with 9,480 students in the Class of 2012 having taken the SAT, compared to just 4,920 in the Class of 2010. This represents a 93 percent increase in students taking the SAT.  Two years ago, 52 percent of HISD seniors attempted the SAT at some point during high school.  Now, 92 percent of students are taking the SAT by their senior year. 

The rise in the number of HISD students taking the SAT was so significant that HISD accounted for half of the total statewide increase in the number of students who sat for the exam.

“On behalf of the entire College Board, I want to congratulate HISD for its outstanding growth in SAT access and success in 2012,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton.  “I have had the pleasure of visiting Houston public schools and I have seen firsthand the power and the possibility afforded by the college-going culture that the district’s administrators and faculty instill in their students. HISD should be a model for large school districts across the country at a time when a weak economy is decimating their ability to produce college and career ready graduates.” 

This increase in college readiness comes at a time when HISD graduates are earning more scholarship money with each passing year.  In 2012, scholarship offers to HISD students exceeded $180 million, compared to $97 million in 2010.

Significant progress made by all racial and ethnic groups

The number of students scoring at the college-ready level has risen in every subject among every racial and ethnic group since 2010. 

  • Among African American students, the number scoring 500 or better has increased 33 percent in reading, 55 percent in math, and 35 percent in writing.
  • The number of Hispanic students reaching the college-ready level has jumped 40 percent in reading, 73 percent in math, and 29 percent in writing.
  • Among white students, the number reaching the college-ready mark has climbed 23 percent in reading, 21 percent in math, and 16 percent in writing.
  • The number of Asian American students hitting the college-ready mark is up l percent in reading, 4 percent in math, and 3 percent in writing.

Participation up among all student groups

SAT participation rates increased rapidly for students of every race and ethnicity over the past two years. 

  • For the Class of 2012, there were 2,654 African American students tested, compared to 1,508 in 2010, an increase of 76 percent.
  • The number of Hispanic students tested jumped from 2,165 in 2010 to 5,063, a 134-percent increase. 
  • Among white students, the number tested increased from 673 in 2010 to 890 in 2012, an increase of 32 percent.
  • The number of Asian American students tested now stands at 456, compared to 388 in 2010, a difference of 18 percent.

As participation increases, average scores decline

As the number of students taking the exam dramatically increased, average scores dropped predictably.  The College Board has reported that scores tend to decline as the number of low-income students and first-generation immigrant students take the exam.  In 2012, the average HISD reading score dropped 35 points to 410, while the average math score declined 31 points to 439, and writing dropped by 34 points to 406.  Average SAT scores also declined nationally and statewide. 

If we eliminate the bottom 3,259 scores in 2012, which is the difference in the number of students tested from 2011 to 2012, average scores in each subject would increase substantially.  The average composite score for the top 6,225 students tested in 2012 is 1,424, compared to 1,355 for the 6,225 students in the Class of 2011 who took the SAT.  Although this is not a statistically valid comparison to make, it does offer some valuable insight into the impact that increasing the testing pool has on average scores.

“While Houston’s students are making strong progress, far too many are leaving high school unprepared for college and to contribute to our city’s prosperity,” Dr. Grier said.  “We must do better.”

This year, HISD launched a new and improved curriculum designed with the input of thousands of teachers. The new curriculum is aligned with state and national standards and will prepare students to meet increasingly tough academic standards.  The new curriculum also places an emphasis on every child reading at or above grade level.

Moving forward, high school teachers and counselors will be encouraging more students to take advantage of the free online SAT test preparation materials that are available from the College Board.

Come out for a ‘Community Conversation’ on 2012 proposed bond

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Anyone looking to find out more about the school district’s proposed 2012 $1.89 billion bond proposal should come to one of Thursday’s “Community Conversations,” at Austin High School (1700 Dumble) or the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street).

The sessions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. and will include a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

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