The Rogers Report

By Don Rogers

TREA Legislative Consultant

There have been a few developments in Austin as we move nearer the January opening of the 79^th Texas legislative session.

Governor Perry has a business advisory group who has just recently released its recommendations for public education. It has no new ideas. Just a lot more lip service about the need to improve and reform our public schools.

Their report calls for the conversion of “failing schools” to charter schools. It is hard to understand why these folks keep thinking that charter schools are the answer to failing public schools. The track record of charter schools is certainly not a beacon of success for all of us to follow.

The group does call for stricter enforcement on financial accounting for charter schools. I suppose the fact that several million dollars have vanished with little or no accountability has raised their level of concern.

School finance will head the legislative agenda and it looks like state leaders are nearer agreement on new tax sources. Some kind of business activity tax and closing the franchise tax loopholes lead the list with a likely increase in the state sales tax included since it is deductible from our federal income tax.

Other issues we will face again are: VOUCHERS. The second bill pre-filed for the session is calling for a pilot voucher bill for the six largest school districts. This won’t affect our rural schools directly but it takes money out of the public schools and that affects all of us.

FORCED CONSOLIDATION. We are hearing some of the same questions that have been raised in the past about why we can’t consolidate schools and reduce administrative costs. We will need to educate a new crop of legislators as to why consolidation is not cost effective. The enigma here is seeing these same folks intent on creating more charter schools all of which seem to number less than 200 in ADA.

We are likely to see efforts to consolidate or co-op some administrative functions. Our schools have already been doing this, but there may be more opportunities for our ESC’s to provide leadership and a mechanism for helping small school districts in this area.

UIL REORGANIZATION. Every session some member of the legislature files a bill to change the way our extra-curricular programs are operated. I don’t think Joe Nixon will do it this year because he got scolded severely by his Spring Branch constituents last session, but you can expect to see some attempt to at least expand the number of private schools admitted to the UIL.

Our Legislative Committee, chaired by Ronnie Stanley, will meet in Austin on December 8th to finalize our legislative agenda  and develop our strategy for the coming session.

TREA is part of the Coalition to Invest in Public Schools and we will continue to work with all of the 11 organizations who have pledged to remain united throughout the legislative session. We will be calling on our member superintendents to come to Austin on a regular basis to visit with members of the Legislature and testify before the Education Committees of both the House and Senate. We intend for this to be a great session for public schools.

A Trip to Runge ISD

By Gwen Havner and Debbie Witte

Today as principal, Ms. JoAnn Villarreal, monitors her school. Excitement fills the classrooms and hallways of Runge Elementary due to the never-ending dedication of the faculty and staff involved in the writing of the Reading First Grant which enabled the campus to receive funds totaling $221,00.00 to increase reading scores in grades K-3^rd for the next six years.

Following the steps and guidelines of the grant involved hiring a highly qualified reading coach, Mrs. Debbie Witte, to implement the guidelines for the Three -Tier Reading Model.  Among the coach’s many duties, she visits classrooms regularly to observe and to model research based reading strategies, assist in lesson planning, plan professional development, purchase needed materials for instruction and to monitor student and teacher strengths and weaknesses.  Part of the campus’s success is largely due to the consistent communication between the campus coach, principal and faculty.

The grant also required the structuring of a Three-Tier Reading Model. Tier-I involved the solid implementation of 90 minutes of core classroom reading instruction using Harcourt Trophies as a basal reading program.  Materials were updated and teachers were retrained in using the curriculum.  Timelines and guidelines were addressed to monitor student achievement.  In addition, the district provided training for using scientifically based research material, which focused on the five core reading areas:  Phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

The next level of the model, Tier-II, was implemented to provide an additional 30 minutes of intensive, small group reading instruction each day to students identified as being at risk. The campus uses the Voyager Passport program to meet the needs of those students.  Progress monitoring occurs every two weeks, with benchmark assessments given three times a year.  Testing results are then reviewed to determine the student’s next placement in the Three-Tier Model.

The Tier-III level is then implemented when students are not making adequate progress in the first two of the program. It provides for a total of 60 additional minutes of instruction and addition to the 90 minutes of core classroom instruction set assigned each day.  In addition to using the Voyager Passports curriculum, strategies and lessons are pulled from the TPRI Intervention Guide, supplemental instruction for Struggling Readers Guide, Project Read, Read Naturally, lessons using leveled readers from the guided reading labs and if necessary, special education intervention.

After the implementation of the grant for the first year’s accountability, Runge Elementary has made exceptional gains in student achievement.  The campus moved from an acceptable rating to being a recognized campus this year.  Thanks to the hard work from teachers and students, attitudes are positive and pride fills the hallways and classrooms, as each and every person has a joyous smile when thinking about our great school’s accomplishments and in looking forward to the new year.  

Letter of Encouragement

By Duncan A. Ragsdale

Here we go again, or so it seems as the Texas Legislature again takes up the subject of school finance. Just recently, we have gone through committee meetings; statements by the various leadership including the governor, the lieutenant governor and committee chairpersons; lawsuits; hearing after hearing; and more. And yet, the school finance plan doesn’t appear to be any further along than it ever has been. We are up against the wall, but nothing happens.

Some days, in reflection, we remember how long this has been going on. We remember back before “Robin Hood” and all the water that has gone through the dam. We, as superintendents and school board members, as most of our TREA members are today, wonder just how long we can continue to properly educate our Texas children without compromise in the values we hold so dear.

And yet as we enter another time of political maneuvering and possible bickering and strife in Austin, we must do exactly that. We must be determined to properly educate our Texas children without compromise in our values.

First of all, we must recognize that we are the ones who have chosen to be responsible, to give our lives to educate kids. We have been involved now, many of us for decades, in being on the front line for education, and its leadership in our communities. We are the ones that must not throw in the towel and leave our kids, and their families, to the political process. We are the ones, not the Texas Legislature, that will ultimately be responsible for teaching our kids, not just knowledge of the political measurements of the TAKS test, but the wisdom of how to raise families and be good citizens.

 If our teachers under our leadership don’t do this, and don’t keep up the good work that we continue to provide, then who will? In our communities from El Paso to Texarkana and Amarillo to Beaumont, who will bring forth our future leadership?

So, do not despair as the Legislature meets, focus on those things that you can control. Work hard, train good teachers, encourage your school board, or if you are a school board member, encourage your superintendent and administrators. Keep your head high in the community and be proud of the good work in your schools. No other group in Texas does so very much for our communities. Yet, be humbled by the responsibility for our kids and their future . . . it’s awesome.  

We would like to wish everyone happy holidays!

Enjoy the holiday season and we will see you again in '05!