Initiative to benefit 115 schools district wide
The Houston Independent School District Board of Education is expected to vote Thursday on a $5.7 million proposal to add 4,110 laptops at 115 schools in an effort to aid in reading instruction. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. on December 13, 2012 in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th Street).
Earlier this year, HISD purchased 5,000 laptops across the district to enable schools to provide increased online intervention to more than 80,000 struggling readers. This additional commitment would provide these students increased intervention time.
“These online reading interventions are necessary to better meet the learning needs of our students,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “Based on feedback from principals and student performance reports, we’ve determined we need more laptops to increase students’ access to adequate supplemental reading sources to ensure they are reading on grade level.”
Also Thursday, the board will consider adopting the district’s agenda for the upcoming 83rd session of the Texas Legislature. The proposed HISD agenda includes a request to restore funding to the full-day pre-kindergarten program, among other items.
During the 82nd legislative session in 2011, HISD lost $5 million in state grant funding for the full-day pre-kindergarten program. As a result, HISD had to reduce programs that serve at-risk children at more than 70 campuses to cover the cost of continuing to provide a full-day pre-kindergarten program at all the schools impacted.
The board also is also scheduled to vote on Thursday to authorize the sale of $340 million of the $1.89 billion in voter-approved bonds to build new schools across the city.
For a full copy of the board meeting agenda, click here. The board meeting will be broadcast live on HISD’s website and HISD – TV, Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.