B.I.S.D. RELEASES POTENTIAL LETTER GRADE UNDER NEW SYSTEM
School districts across Texas received their possible letter ratings under the state’s proposed new accountability system Friday.
The controversial system will not go into effect until August of 2018, but the state took it on a test run today (Friday), releasing the letter grades that Texas public school districts would have received, should the system have been in place during the 2015-2016 school year.
Based on the four domains that were measured, Brenham ISD was assigned the following letter grades:
Domain I: Student Achievement - C
- Based on student passing rate for STAAR
Domain II: Student Progress - C
- Student improvement from year to year
Domain III: Closing Performance Gaps - D
- How well the school performs relevant to student poverty
Domain IV: Postsecondary Readiness - C
- How well the school district prepares the student for college, careers or the military
As of Thursday, 152 Texas school districts adopted resolutions opposing the A-F school rating system, including Brenham ISD.
In a statement issued Friday, Brenham ISD said:
“These letter grades are primarily linked to STAAR test performance, which does not truly represent the quality of the educational experience that students in BISD and across the state receive in public schools. While we respect the TEA's role as a state agency charged with the oversight and monitoring of the state's public schools, we do not embrace or recognize a rating or ranking of our schools based on this narrow of an indicator or a single day performance of our students.
As stated in earlier communications, BISD joins the numerous school districts across the state that vehemently oppose the TEA letter grade designations. We believe this system does very little to help school districts actually improve. This is not the manner in which parents encourage students to improve academically, this is not the way we ask teachers to improve professionally, and this should not be the way we expect districts to ultimately improve. Our focus is to provide a quality education that far exceeds the limited parameters of this state accountability design.
Our schools are so much more than one test, and our students are so much more than one score. Brenham ISD remains fully committed to academic excellence for all students and will continue to advocate for our district with our lawmakers. “
For months many school districts in Texas have voiced their opposition to the new system, which they say undermine the efforts of hard working students and staff, devastate morale, and have the potential to negatively impact local real estate values.
Even some nationally ranked campuses in Texas didn’t receive A’s under the new system, with some schools that received top marks from the state a few months ago getting unacceptable scores in certain categories.
Advocates for the new system say the A-F accountability ratings is easier to understand than the previous “met standard” or “improvement required” ratings.
The teachers are not to blame for this. This problem is entirely on the BISD school board and Superintendent. As far as I can tell, they are all poor performers and need to be replaced. I’d be happy to sit in any one of their seats. The board and superintendent don’t like the new A-F system because it holds them accountable.
Teachers’ mom: Not all school districts in Texas have the same issues BISD has. Check with teachers outside BISD and you will see that many of our problems are within our local system. I have children teaching in other districts and relatives teaching in BISD, when they get together and compare notes you would be surprised at the issues BISD teachers face that others do not.
For those that want to start blaming teachers, let me enlighten you. A typical day starts with heading out the door by 7am and usually not getting done with grading and planning at the end of the day until 7pm. Then they get to come home and eat quickly and back on the computer to print out lessons (since printers are limited on campus, plus they would be there until 10 pm if they had to printer everything and work with the sub par equipment they do have.) So, we buy our own laser, toner and paper just so we can have somewhat of a family life. It doesnt stop there. We also spend 500-700 dollars a year buying supplies for the classroom, since they are non existent or some kids cant afford them, so we buy them ourselves ,so they have the tools they need. This has gone on for years…
The problem is not the teachers, it is the fact that you have kids with parents that never applied themselves, so why should their kids. Sometimes ignorance is just handed down.
Until parents take an active role in helping their kids learn in a positive way, these types of results will never change. There is no way that a teacher in the short time they see a kid on a daily basis can keep all of them at the same level, many are brilliant and many, well not so much.
Instead of kicking a teacher on here, you better find one a give them a hug instead. I can guaranty they do a lot more for a lot less than any occupation I know…
My wife is also a teacher at a local BISD elementary school. I believe my wife was God called to be a teacher, she is someone who loves kids and loves to teach. With that being said, she is also someone that is now counting the days until she can retire and get out of there. I cannot tell you the days she does not come home until seven or even eight o’clock. The perpetual paper shortages have gone on for years and we have spent thousands of our own personal dollars supplying, equipping, and decorating that classroom because the school does not budget for it. She has kids who speak little (or no) English forced into her classroom, she has high performing kids mixed with special needs children, all who are supposed to get equal attention and a great education but who have vastly different needs. Meanwhile the district continues to hire specialists and administrators who do not spend any real time in the classroom, but they feel free to demand lengthy reports, long meetings, and burdensome email communications, are you kidding me, my wife does not have time to go to the bathroom (that is not a joke). Then you throw in parents who do not support their kids educational work, but will support their bad and disruptive behavior because of course “my baby can do no wrong” or the cry of you have “labeled my child” when their child disrupts the learning environment on a daily basis. There is little to no disciplinary support and the teachers are left to fend for themselves with no tools. No after my wife arrives home at 7 p.m. or later, she then has to use the personal cell phone we pay for to call these parents and talk by their child’s “progress”. The schools are slowly and quietly reaching a point of insanity while we as family members try to support our teachers who have invested so much that they have to work until retirement so they do not lose out on the years they invested in our themselves, our schools, and our kids.
It is time that we firmly and loudly kick the federal and state governments our of our schools and demand that our local administrators start managing our schools with common sense and discipline! Enough is enough!
The new A-F ratings are not just based on a once a year standardized test that the students take.
The rating is comprehensive, I just reviewed TEA results document and it goes into great detail on what the criteria are to measure performance in our schools. I have a pdf of them if anyone would like me to send a copy.
Texas spends about $8500 for every student every year. For that much, most of us could send our children to a private school of our choosing. For me that would mean that I could easily send my child to a Christian private school. I know that he would be in an environment that promotes Christian values, work ethic, and wholesome behavior. Instead we have a system that takes thousands from property owners every year and with the money provides schools that promote degraded secular values, deviance, and many of the inferior cultural norms of today like single parenthood and generational welfare dependence, glamorization of lawlessness and hatred for those that advocate order.
However, many districts received A’s or B’s in Domain I, II, and IV. College Station is an example. These are the examples we should be looking at to shape our schools. An already proven solution can be gained from this study. If it’s paying our teachers more, we should do it. If its forming smaller schools and introduce zoning, we should do it. If its cutting social welfare programs to find the funds for the best teachers, do it. Performing well in Domain III will be hard to do, but it should never come at the cost of good performance in the other three Domains. I think that our current Brenham ISD leadership feels that Domain III is the priority and that it’s alright to degrade the other Domains to achieve it.
From what I see from our latest Superintendent, School Board President, and School Board we appear heading in an opposite direction of what the A and B performing schools in Domains I, II, and IV are doing. The priority “Goal 4” effort of our Brenham schools redistributes our children via computer program to any school, not the school the parents live close to. Not the school the parents planned for and moved near so that their child could go to the best public school in Brenham. Why would people with children move to Brenham if it does not have good schools? Why would they invest in the best the construction and real estate industry in Brenham has to offer as well as the local economy?
The long-standing trend is that strong families live near the best schools, not poor performers.
Without a pronounced change in direction from our ISD leadership, not just Brenham, tax payer vouchers for private schools and a defunded public school system is the only way to go.
We can do much better.
While I do have concerns about our local school system, I have to say that these concerns are not primarily the fault of the school district itself. The state (and nation) bears the brunt of the responsibility for our failing education system in this country. We need to get back to basics of reading, writing (including cursive) and arithmetic. If we can focus on successfully teaching our students the basics, along with personal responsibility, accountability, and common sense (balancing a checkbook, creating a resume, communication for business, prioritizing, etc.), then our country might be able to regain some of the ground that has been lost for the past 30 or 40 years. Forcing children to process information at a higher level than they are emotionally, physically, and mentally ready to does NOT promote advancement and achievement. Nurturing their interests, socializing, and making learning fun but challenging will promote smarter, stronger, and happier children (and adults). Let’s figure this out before it’s too late!
For the past several years, an agenda, mainly based on greed, has taken hold of many government officials who are working for businesses and special interest groups to funnel money from public education. The majority of our State budget involves public education funding. The part of the budget that is not connected to education has been picked clean by the buzzards for over a hundred years by business and special interest groups and there is nothing left to steal. Therefore, groups have now circled the education funding and are trying to figure out how to grab what they can. About 20 years ago, they started by trying to demonize or discredit public education. Articles written comparing US public students test scores to “hand picked” foreign students was and are still common. It makes me chuckle when a see them still comparing our student to other nations. The latest articles address international math scores. Does anyone realize that the international math testing is based on a system that is really not taught in US schools? The metric (decimal) system has not been adopted by the US. We still continue to use and teach the outdated English systems of measurement and then ask our students to take international tests on the metric system. Might as well ask them to take the test in French. If we tried to change systems, the morons in the legislature would balk that we are trying to teach communism or some “new world order system. ” The English measurement system was good enough for me…it didn’t hurt me none” There are several other ploys and tools used to discredit public schools used to undermine the pride that most communities have for their schools.
Anyway, this A-F scoring is just another tool by the special groups to tear down the best school systems in the world. It gives fuel to those who want to take funding away from our public schools. The Lt Gov, Governor, President-elect, TEA Commissioner, the candidate for Secretary of Education and many others are pushing for vouchers and other programs to disguise the funneling of money from public education to private schools and businesses.
All students should not be prepared to go to college. They all do not get a trophy. Our schools reflect what they are given. If a student comes out of public education today unprepared for college or career, then it is because of dysfunctional parents, lack or parents, absenteeism, health/mental issues, or extreme poverty. Simple as that.
Yes, concerned parent, right on the mark. For a town this size we have a large private school enrollment. And it is for a reason. That being said, our school board can stop blaming the Starr test as it is obviously not working either, so maybe we need to start with the realization that we cannot keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results. We have great facilities for all grades, that is a good start. A teacher is a manager too, and if they cannot manage the classroom, students cannot learn. In business, if a manager can’t perform, they are retrained or replaced. And a good manager needs support from solid administrators. As a taxpayer who supports this system, I don’t believe I have gotten my monies worth from the looks of these grades.
These grades are more of a reflection of our community than the teachers and administration. I spend extra time with my kids reading and making sure they are doing what is required in the classroom. They do many academic activities outside of the classroom, as well.
Brenham has a large, and growing, percentage of economically disadvantaged students who often come from homes where the family is apathetic towards the importance of an education. Many kids observe from home that living on welfare is easier than applying yourself in the classroom and preparing for a career. Others believe criminal activity is an easier way of providing for their needs and wants. Some kids work hard and just struggle. If you remove the first two groups, BISD would be an “A” rated school.
I know BISD has some outstanding educators. They are not the problem. The problem is a cultural one and has to start at home. The culture of the students that have traditionally gone to Alton over the past few years has been different than the culture of the other two schools. That is why there was such a discrepancy between the performance of our elementary schools. Alton has great teachers. Great teachers don’t overcome a home where books are replaced by video games and TV.
I am a firm believer in public education. It is there for every child no matter their socio-
economic status. I do not believe in the voucher system…with few exceptions, vouchers have only lined the pockets of the administrators and corporations. If you want your child to receive an education based on your particular religious beliefs then you should pay for it…the public schools are still there if your financial circumstances change and you can’t afford a private school. We have separation of church and state for a reason and that should apply also to our educational system. If you want your child to receive more religious training then you can provide it in your home and/or church, temple, synagogue. You cannot shelter your children from the world. Children of all races, religions and cultures can learn a lot from each other.
Have I ever sent one of my children to a private religious school? Yes, one attended until 6th grade because the class sizes were smaller and I felt that with his physical chal-lenges he could better adapt to dealing with his issues in a smaller classroom and I wanted him to have the religious instruction. I knew, however, that if I could no longer afford private school he could transition into public school and I did not resent paying taxes for public schools for that reason.
I went to public school and had wonderful teachers and parents who encouraged me to learn. Most of the issues in our schools today are due to poverty and/or parents not parenting their children by not teaching them responsibility and respect for others. We won’t solve the problems in our society by isolating children from each other based on socioeconomic, racial, religious or cultural differences.
As a parent I support the letter grading system. Out school does not prepare our kids for college. I am not the only one who feels this way.