Sam Houston High ordered To Close

[Guest Ozen]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5821154.html

HISD hopes to open a redesigned Sam Houston in fall

HISD's Sam Houston High School was ordered shut down today by the Texas education commissioner for repeatedly failing to meet minimum academic standards.

Sam Houston is expected to earn an "unacceptable" rating from the state for a sixth consecutive year — the worst academic record in Texas.

Yet, HISD officials said at a press conference this afternoon that they're optimistic they'll earn state approval for a plan to keep a reinvented Sam Houston open. If approved, students could have access to new programs at the school in August, Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said.

The Texas Education Agency may require HISD to replace about 75 percent of Sam Houston teachers. It may also require HISD to reduce the number of students enrolled and to change the campus' name.

Roughly 2,500 predominantly poor, Hispanic students attend the school in north Houston. About 170 teachers work there.

Executive Principal Julia Gajardo broke the news to teachers with a recorded phone message. She began by thanking them for their hard work.

"I regret to inform you, though, that we were not able to make quite enough academic progress at Sam Houston this year to earn a rating of academically acceptable. Therefore, the Texas commissioner of education has ordered Sam Houston High School closed. But the commissioner will allow us to redesign the school and open again in August," the message said.

Gajardo also asked teachers to attend a meeting on Monday to discuss the school's future.

[Guest ECBucFan]

Houston Mount Carmel (private Catholic school, I think) closed, too.

[Guest etbu]

Houston Mount Carmel (private Catholic school, I think) closed, too.

I both cases HISD is going to close them and reopen them under a different venue. Get five thousand dollars per kid to do so from the state.  ???

[SFA85]

HISD, God bless em, tries so hard to hold the 'Neighborhood school' concept but next on the chopping block may be Cashmere, Wheatley, JY, Austin, and Milby.  Possibly Jones and Worthy.  Declining ADMs and of course, my favorite, 'No Child left behind'.......

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

HISD, God bless em, tries so hard to hold the 'Neighborhood school' concept but next on the chopping block may be Cashmere, Wheatley, JY, Austin, and Milby.  Possibly Jones and Worthy.  Declining ADMs and of course, my favorite, 'No Child left behind'.......

    Kashmere so ran down i thought they would have closed that school by now. I got alot of friends from that school. I've heard horror stories 

[Tiger90]

A few weeks ago there were some folks talking about how if some schools wanted to keep their coaches etc they needed to not make them have to get more certifications/teaching fields and have them focus more on coaching.  The reality is sports are secondary to a school's purpose.  This school could have won state in every major sport this year, but in the end it is the academics that are most important.

[PURPLE 4EVER]

A few weeks ago there were some folks talking about how if some schools wanted to keep their coaches etc they needed to not make them have to get more certifications/teaching fields and have them focus more on coaching.  The reality is sports are secondary to a school's purpose.  This school could have won state in every major sport this year, but in the end it is the academics that are most important.

Amen...

How often do we forget this on this "sports" forum...

I don't know of any particulars from this school, but you have to assume the principal and the teachers did all they could to improve the students.

In the end, you get what you pay...

As a teacher with 18 years of experience it is sad that districts continue to raise the starting salaries of teachers, but still don't have the finances to pay veteran teachers what they are worth.

Over the last three years several close friends of mine (quality veteran teachers) have left the profession for higher paying occupations.

The starting salaries can attract good teachers, but the schools need the finances to keep paying the teachers what they are worth.  With the current tax structure this just isn't possible.  You can also say this for all public servants, not just teachers.

We should all be thankful that almost all schools in the Beaumont area are at least acceptable and are doing what they are supposed to, educating the kids.

[Guest etbu]

Hisd can put any spin the want on this situation but the dropout rate is sixty percent within the city for Hispanics. SamHouston was I would imagine ninety five percent and so what else do you do? If a kid does not want to go to school what is the answer?

[tvc184]

Hisd can put any spin the want on this situation but the dropout rate is sixty percent within the city for Hispanics. SamHouston was I would imagine ninety five percent and so what else do you do? If a kid does not want to go to school what is the answer?

But they were axed for minimum academic standards which I am going to guess is talking about TAKS.

TAKS is based on percentage of pass/fail, not the number of dropouts. If 500 students take the test and 250 of them fail, then it is a 50% passing percentage. It doesn't matter if 300 students dropped out that didn't take the test.

If that is true, then the district's TAKS rating is probably better off with the dropouts. I would bet that a large percentage of the dropouts would not have passed anyway. It would increase their failure rate if those students stayed in school and failed the tests.

[Guest etbu]

If I am not mistake think that Sam Houston was the oldest high school in Houston. Use to be located downtown back in the day and played some pretty good ball. Just a very rough part of town and dont know where the kids will go now.

[SFA85]

If I am not mistake think that Sam Houston was the oldest high school in Houston. Use to be located downtown back in the day and played some pretty good ball. Just a very rough part of town and dont know where the kids will go now.

The only HS toward downtown is Lamar on Westheimer in the River Oaks area.  SH was in the north side off I-45 on the right....

[Guest etbu]

If I am not mistake think that Sam Houston was the oldest high school in Houston. Use to be located downtown back in the day and played some pretty good ball. Just a very rough part of town and dont know where the kids will go now.

The only HS toward downtown is Lamar on Westheimer in the River Oaks area.  SH was in the north side off I-45 on the right....

I know bro but way back in the early 1900;s I think SH use to be downtown.

[Tiger90]

Hisd can put any spin the want on this situation but the dropout rate is sixty percent within the city for Hispanics. SamHouston was I would imagine ninety five percent and so what else do you do? If a kid does not want to go to school what is the answer?

But they were axed for minimum academic standards which I am going to guess is talking about TAKS.

TAKS is based on percentage of pass/fail, not the number of dropouts. If 500 students take the test and 250 of them fail, then it is a 50% passing percentage. It doesn't matter if 300 students dropped out that didn't take the test.

If that is true, then the district's TAKS rating is probably better off with the dropouts. I would bet that a large percentage of the dropouts would not have passed anyway. It would increase their failure rate if those students stayed in school and failed the tests.

Drop outs can be part of the equation.  In this instance however, it all has to be based on preliminary test score projections.  The state is not releasing any official rankings until August 1st.  The state one minutes says the students are all the same but when the TAKS is put into play they break everything down demographically.  A school can actually meet the exempliary status overall but have the school rank as academically unacceptable if a subgroup is deemed too low.

One thing I will never understand is if we as a society can recognize that some folks are born with superior physical talents (ie. sports players) over others why can't we accept the fact that some people just do not have the same mental talents?  These standardize tests pretty much assume we all learn the same or can learn the same when that is just not true.

[SFA85]

One thing I will never understand is if we as a society can recognize that some folks are born with superior physical talents (ie. sports players) over others why can't we accept the fact that some people just do not have the same mental talents?  These standardize tests pretty much assume we all learn the same or can learn the same when that is just not true.

Very profound statement.......

[James Mosley]

True!!!

[Guest etbu]

We all can thank former Gov Mark White and Ross Perot for the situation we are now in. They are the mothers that started way back when with Tass testing. w

[Tiger90]

Actually Mark White and Ross Perot were instrumental in no pass/no play around '82-'83.  The TAAS test was in the 90s to early 00s.  TEAMS testing was in the late 80s.

[KFDM COOP]

Austin Johnston shut down by the state

Multiple media outlets in Austin are reporting that the TEA has forced A.I.S.D. to shut down Johnston High effective during the 2008-09 school year. A.I.S.D. will reopen the campus but it will serve a different function which has yet to be determined.

They made improvements on their testing scores, but received a state rating of "academically unacceptable" for the fourth year in a row.

Truly a sad and extemely unfortunate occurance.

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[New Indian]

A few weeks ago there were some folks talking about how if some schools wanted to keep their coaches etc they needed to not make them have to get more certifications/teaching fields and have them focus more on coaching.  The reality is sports are secondary to a school's purpose.  This school could have won state in every major sport this year, but in the end it is the academics that are most important.

Amen...

How often do we forget this on this "sports" forum...

I don't know of any particulars from this school, but you have to assume the principal and the teachers did all they could to improve the students.

In the end, you get what you pa

not only that but you can pay em good but if you dont get the support you need from the "higher ups" with student problems or kids that wanna learn period etc... or if you fail too many students you get punished!!!  all the pay in the world does not matter. my sister a veteran educator (she is close to retirment age) is going to another school this year hoping that its going to get better, she did all that she could came in early left late offered to tutor, taught summer school etc... and the school still punished her by takind away a higher course and making her teach TAKS remidiation

As a teacher with 18 years of experience it is sad that districts continue to raise the starting salaries of teachers, but still don't have the finances to pay veteran teachers what they are worth.

Over the last three years several close friends of mine (quality veteran teachers) have left the profession for higher paying occupations.

The starting salaries can attract good teachers, but the schools need the finances to keep paying the teachers what they are worth.  With the current tax structure this just isn't possible.  You can also say this for all public servants, not just teachers.

We should all be thankful that almost all schools in the Beaumont area are at least acceptable and are doing what they are supposed to, educating the kids.

[shooter]

Tiger90,

While I totally disagree with your premise, I respect your point of view. On the field and as in most sports, the start and finish line apply to all, but this is not the case academically. My mother is a perfect example of this. She was the beneficiary of hand-me-down books and everything they received was "second class" so how could she compete with others who were always receiving the best that technology had to offer. Many years of inequality can't be wiped so easily, you see the start and finish lines have been different. Secondly, if Bush has No Child Left Behind, I guess my mother was the beneficiary of No Child Can Catch UP. In my humble opinion standarized test are bias because the interest, the exposure of affluent and indigent families is very different.

Finally, inequality can only be overcome with equal access. No matter how many laws are passed, poor children will never attend better schools, because most will not be located in their communities and transportation will not available to them.

[Tiger90]

Shooter please do not misconstrue that one statement as my entire point of view.  That was just part of the issue no matter how affluent one's upbringing is.  I merely was implying that not all people can and will learn the same.  Some people just have the ability to achieve easier and more than others.  Some people do have limitations.  I understand that is a view many people may not have thought about or may accept.  It is not meant as derogatory towards anyone.

In regards to inequality in schools, you can put every kid in the nicest facility known to man, but if the expectations and importance are not placed on education by the child's support group (parents/grand parents/teachers) then it is all for naught.  Of the 168 hours each week a teacher in a school with a traditional schedule will only see that student 7 of those hours.  That is a short time to make such a major impression on each child. There has to be more input ans support from parents to stress the importance of education.  Far too often schools are seen as an adversary rather than an ally.  This is a sports board and we are always talking about new stadiums for more fans to attend etc., how many folks attend a board meeting, a PTA meeting, or even a mere parent/teacher conference?  If people want a better education for their child then they need to work hand in hand with the teacher to better meet their child's needs.  That simple view can cut across any background or financial situation.  That is not to say every participant will agree, but at least everyone knows the goal.  There is not one school out there thats goal is to be vindictive or oppressive to any student.  I am in no way a supporter of No Child Left Behind, quite the opposite.  That legislation was put in place by people who do not spend day to day time with today's youth to even understand their needs.  It was passed by people who probably have not even been in a classroom in 20+ years.  An example of that flawed legislation deals with special needs kids.  The government wants each of these identified kids to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that works on the individual's identified needs.  Although the child may be in the age appropriate grade they may be 3,4, or even 5 levels behind, but when testing (state's new TAKS-M) rolls around they have to take the same test.  How fair and individualized is that?  The teacher has to meet and teach at the student's level, but the state testing can be several levels higher.  It just doesn't make sense.

If anyone ever wants to look at a TAKS test the TEA website releases the tests to the public every other year.  The 2004 and 2006 TAKS versions are available for download now. 

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The new TAKS-M for special needs populations is new and will not be available for at least two years.

[PURPLE 4EVER]

Excellent point Tiger....

As a teacher it is sad that we are at the point we are with no child left behind.

Although the premise is outstanding, it is not "realistic".

Basically ANY STUDENT in public education is put on a colllege prep track.

ALL students now must pass 4 math, 4 english, 4 science, and 4 social studies to graduate.

What the legislatures need to realize is that not ALL students are college material, and if you are lucky enough to get to college only 1 out of three college freshmen graduate.

Texas MUST put in a dual tracking system for all districts.

One track for college prep (the curriculum that exists now) and one track for vocational training.

One more thing....

The drop out rate for high school students is WAY UNDER reported.

Would be interesting to see how many freshmen are in Texas and see how many of them graduate in 4 years.  The state average would be way more than 25% if the drop out rate was reported this way.

This is one of the reasons why Sam Houston high school was shut down.  There just wasn't that many kids graduating AND the TAKS scores were unacceptable.

[Guest setxgal]

and does anyone know the status of the law that went in to effect the beginning of last school year that said if you didn't graduate on a college prep path then you can't apply o a state school?(at least that is how I remember being told) I wasn't sure if anyone had challenged it yet?

[Guest ECBucFan]

Finally, inequality can only be overcome with equal access. No matter how many laws are passed, poor children will never attend  better schools, because most will not be located in their communities and transportation will not available to them.

Under that premise, a sports team would complain "we can't win because the nieghborhood our stadium is in isn't as nice as others". Just another excuse. The "poor" schools are highly subsidized by the others (Robin Hood) as it is. If anything, the "poor" have access to government programs the others don't. Maybe the "poor" should stop destroying their own schools. The eternal victim mentality destroys personal inititive and ambition. What about college admissions? "Poor" and minorities are given preference over middle class whites every day. Ever heard of "race norming" scores? Google that, and Hopwood vs. UT, too...

[Tiger90]

Google that, and Hopwood vs. UT, too...

That case affected me going to law school. :-\