Education Is First

[SLCDad]

The Texas Education Agency just released it's 2007 Accountability Ratings. Here are the results:

Rating.............Number of Schools........%
Exemplary..................637.................7.9%
Recognized..............2,345................29.1%
Acceptable..............4,102................50.9%
Unacceptable..............301.................3.7%
Not Rated..................676..................8.4%
Total.....................8,061.............100.0%

Southlake Carroll was the only 5A district in the state to receive an exemplary rating for the district. All 11 schools in the district were rated exemplary.

Highland Park was the only 4A district in the state to receive an exemplary rating for the district. All 7 schools in that district were rated exemplary.

There are many larger districts that include multiple high schools, many middle schools, etc. Obviously it's much harder for these larger districts to be rated exemplary.

Congrats to all the schools who did well or who improved from last year.

 

[sa68ag]

That is a very impressive accomplishment.:clap:
It is extremely tough to get an exemplary rating. I think that's more than any of the top districts in San Antonio, all of which are probably 10 to 20 times as large as SLC.

 

[Bordertown]

It is a nice accomplishment but a bit deceiving. Carroll ISD has some advantages that other districts do not. Carroll is a very affluent school district that is 90% White, 4% Hispanic, and 2% African American. I assume the remainder of the population are Asian, Middle Eastern or Indians (Sub-Asia). The most important statistic is that less than 1% of the population is economically disadvantaged. The rating is done on an overall basis and on each subgroup. You can do will overall but if you miss a subgroup, that will knock a district out of being "Exemplary" if they a have a "statistically significant subgroup". For example the African American and "Economically Disadvantaged" subgroups were not considered. Carroll ISD could have not served these groups and still been "Exemplary". [ By the way, I do not think that is the case].

I will compare Richardson ISD which received a "Recognized" status (2nd blessed). It is a district 3X the size of Carroll ISD and is 55% minority and 40% economically disadvantaged. The administrators of Richardson ISD faced many more problems than their Carroll counter parts in achieving their ranking.

I am not attempting to lessen Carroll's accomplishment, only to show it is easier to education non disadvantaged youth like those residing in Carroll ISD and Highland Park ISD. Districts like Richardson ISD while not being rated as "Exemplary" provide exemplary educations.

 

[SLCDad]

It is a nice accomplishment but a bit deceiving. Carroll ISD has some advantages that other districts do not. Carroll is a very affluent school district that is 90% White, 4% Hispanic, and 2% African American. I assume the remainder of the population are Asian, Middle Eastern or Indians (Sub-Asia). The most important statistic is that less than 1% of the population is economically disadvantaged. The rating is done on an overall basis and on each subgroup. You can do will overall but if you miss a subgroup, that will knock a district out of being "Exemplary" if they a have a "statistically significant subgroup". For example the African American and "Economically Disadvantaged" subgroups were not considered. Carroll ISD could have not served these groups and still been "Exemplary". [ By the way, I do not think that is the case].

I will compare Richardson ISD which received a "Recognized" status (2nd blessed). It is a district 3X the size of Carroll ISD and is 55% minority and 40% economically disadvantaged. The administrators of Richardson ISD faced many more problems than their Carroll counter parts in achieving their ranking.

I am not attempting to lessen Carroll's accomplishment, only to show it is easier to education non disadvantaged youth like those residing in Carroll ISD and Highland Park ISD. Districts like Richardson ISD while not being rated as "Exemplary" provide exemplary educations.

ALL of the groups in the Southlake school district had a 90+% passing rate on all sections of the exams. As you point out, some the groups are small, but every one received the exemplary status. Even if the groups were larger, the scores wouldn't have changed the districts ratings. Even the economically disadvantaged students did well.

Here are the SLC district results:

Reading: All groups 99% passing except Econ Disadvantaged where 98% passed.

Writing: All groups 99% passing except Hispanic at 98% and Econ Disadvantaged 94% passing.

Social Studies: All groups 99% passing except African American with 97% passing and Econ Disadvantaged with 90% passing.

Math passing rates: All students - 94%, African American - 94%, Hispanic - 93%, White - 96% and Economically Disadvantaged - 92%

Science passing rates: All students - 96%, African American - 97%, Hispanic - 94%, White - 96% and Economically Disadvantaged - 99%

 

[consumerman]

ALL of the groups in the Southlake school district had a 90+% passing rate on all sections of the exams. As you point out, some the groups are small, but every one received the exemplary status. Even if the groups were larger, the scores wouldn't have changed the districts ratings. Even the economically disadvantaged students did well.

Here are the SLC district results:

Reading: All groups 99% passing except Econ Disadvantaged where 98% passed.

Writing: All groups 99% passing except Hispanic at 98% and Econ Disadvantaged 94% passing.

Social Studies: All groups 99% passing except African American with 97% passing and Econ Disadvantaged with 90% passing.

Math passing rates: All students - 94%, African American - 94%, Hispanic - 93%, White - 96% and Economically Disadvantaged - 92%

Science passing rates: All students - 96%, African American - 97%, Hispanic - 94%, White - 96% and Economically Disadvantaged - 99%

why is this on a ohio football board??

it has as much relevance as fish hatchery birth rates in alaska

 

[Bordertown]

SLCDad, I think you missed my point. I am not taking anything away from the academics and the exemplary rating. If you look at most of the districts that were rated exemplary, they are one or two school districts that feed into another district for high school.

It is much easier for the teachers and administrators to accomplish this goal with a .9% economically disadvantaged students (51). Than a district that is 40% disadvantaged. I think you could switch the administration and teaching staff at Cedar Hill ISD and the results would be the same. It is much easier to accomplish the goals of the district when 99% of the families are upwardly mobile.

 

[SLCDad]

SLCDad, I think you missed my point. I am not taking anything away from the academics and the exemplary rating. If you look at most of the districts that were rated exemplary, they are one or two school districts that feed into another district for high school.

It is much easier for the teachers and administrators to accomplish this goal with a .9% economically disadvantaged students (51). Than a district that is 40% disadvantaged. I think you could switch the administration and teaching staff at Cedar Hill ISD and the results would be the same. It is much easier to accomplish the goals of the district when 99% of the families are upwardly mobile.

I agree. There are many great schools and great teachers who do a fabulous job. There is no doubt the SLC school district has many advantages including the opportunity to focus on the relatively small number of kids who need extra help.

 

[Bordertown]

By the way I think the reason the real estate is so valuable in Southlake and Highland Park are the school districts. My perception is they are Public Schools, but act like Privates. I just can't find a "Yellow Dog" that runs a route to East Texas.