Middle school students who take Algebra I as a seventh- or eighth-grader will no longer face the prospect of “double testing.” Until recently, those students would be required to take both the Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) exam and their grade-level STAAR math assessment.
Now, the Algebra I end-of-course exam will satisfy the requirement for a math test for those middle school students.
Reagan, Washington HB 5 sessions show what’s in store for next year’s ninth-graders
High school is changing in a big way for next year’s ninth-grade students, and dozens of HISD families got a jump on finding out how at two community meetings Monday night at Reagan and Washington high schools.
The changes are coming as a result of state legislation known as House Bill 5 – and HISD has rebranded the process for its students and their families as “Plan Your Path.”
“Plan Your Path” is all about guiding students to “dream big,” explained Alejandro Morua, HISD’s general manager of Family and Community Engagement, by combining career awareness and selection with a rigorous academic curriculum from pre-K through graduation.
Community meetings begin Monday; high school counselors and registrars will be on hand to answer questions about new graduation requirements
What is an “endorsement”? How can my child be eligible for Top 10 percent admissions to college? What does my child do to “supersize” his or her diploma to be more attractive to colleges and employers? Parents of current eighth-graders – who will be the first to graduate under revised state requirements – will face an array of new choices and decisions at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.
Ten community sessions will introduce families to new requirements, resources
Houston ISD will launch a series of 10 community “Plan Your Path: House Bill 5 and You” meetings Monday, March 10, to introduce eighth-graders and their families to major changes in high school planning that will blend academics with higher education and careers.
One session is set for each trustee’s district, with one at the HISD headquarters at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. Families may attend any of the meetings, and all HISD students and parents are invited to get a first look at this new model for learning.
HISD trustees heard a detailed update Thursday of dozens of new laws from the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature, but the focus was on one new measure – House Bill 5 – that will make huge changes in Texas graduation requirements beginning with current ninth- and 10th-graders.
The session was presented by HISD counsel David Thompson, who serves as one of the district’s legislative liaisons.
HB 5 reduces the number of STAAR end-of-course exams that must be passed for graduation from 15 to 5 and requires students to select a personal graduation plan between a basic “foundation” course of study and a more rigorous “distinguished” diploma that increases their chances for admission to four-year Texas public universities and state grants.
Smooth-running, secure STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) testing was the focus of three days of training at Forest Brook Middle School last week for 604 educators from HISD campuses.
The Leadership Development Department teamed up with representatives from Student Assessment, Multilingual Programs, and Special Education to offer practical exercises for those involved in the testing at all grade levels, both veterans and newcomers.
The Houston Independent School District earned an overall Met Standard rating under the new Texas school accountability system, the Texas Education Agency announced Thursday.
More than three-quarters – 78 percent – of individual HISD schools earned a Met Standard rating under the new system that seeks to measure whether students are on track to graduate ready for college and the workplace. Of the 210 HISD schools that were awarded a Met Standard rating, 154 earned an additional distinction designation for especially strong student progress, or achievement in math and/or reading/English language arts.
Classes will be offered at four campuses in the North Forest community
The Houston Independent School District will offer summer school instruction for students in the North Forest community from July 8 through Aug. 1.
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On Monday, June 10, Governor Perry signed House Bill 5 into law. The bill dramatically revises the number of high school student assessments required for graduation as well as overall graduation plans in Texas.
“HISD students will now only be required to pass five end-of-course exams to earn a diploma rather than the 15 exams that were previously required,” said HISD Government Relations Director Veronica Garcia.
Tougher exams measure whether students are on track for college and career readiness
Most Houston Independent School District students showed they are on track to graduate high school prepared for college and rewarding careers, according to preliminary 2013 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results released today.
Reflecting a statewide trend, HISD student performance was strongest in math and science, while students struggled most with reading and writing.