Outcome of the March 2010 SBOE Meeting
© 2010 Texas Association of School Administrators
After hours of public testimony and debate over proposed amendments the State Board of Education (SBOE) voted 10 to 5 gave preliminary approval to social studies TEKS revisions. Following the vote board members Mavis Knight (Dallas), Mary Helen Berlanga (Corpus Christi), Rick Agosto (San Antonio) and Lawrence Allen (Houston) expressed disappointment in the product thus far. The final vote on the revised TEKS will occur at the May meeting. [Read More]

TODAY (Mon, March 15) — Deadline: 50th Annual TASA/TASB Convention Call for Breakout Session Applications

News Releases
Social studies curriculum standards win State Board's backing
After considering about 300 amendments during its January and March meetings, the State Board of Education, on a 10-5 vote, gave preliminary approval to new social studies curriculum standards that will be used in the Texas public schools. A document containing the extensive revisions will be posted on TEA's website and posted in the Texas register by mid-April. Once posted, the official 30-day public comment period will begin. At that time, comments with suggested changes to the document can be sent to rules@tea.state.tx.us.

University Interscholastic League
2010 UIL Boys State Basketball All-Tournament Team

50 Ways to Close the Achievement Gap: Leaving No Child Behind
March 22-24, 2010
Hyatt Regency San Antonio on the Riverwalk

Developed for school leaders, this training outlines 50 detailed, research-based strategies for developing high-performing schools—strategies that are found to have the greatest impact on student achievement and provide school leaders with approaches that give all learners the opportunity to succeed.

Confronting gaps in school achievement requires a systematic examination of the entire school system and a comprehensive problem-solving approach.

Participation will energize participants and provide focus on the steps that need to be part of any district or school improvement plan. Learn More!!!

SBOE = State Beatniks of Education
After a marathon week of State Board of Education meetings — in which members derided everything from the revered church-state divide to transvestites — one might have thought their adoption of social studies standards couldn’t get any more bizarre this morning, when only a pro forma approval had been expected.

When in the course of human events ...
(Austin American-Statesman © 03/15/2010)
Unbowed by the reverses the radical majority suffered in the Republican primary March 2, the State Board of Education continued to inject ideology into the Texas schools curriculum. Those who might think that "radical" is too strong a word to apply should consider that these people gave no less a thinker than Thomas Jefferson a posthumous slap by excluding the founding father from a list of ...

Garland ISD students' odds of going to top choice school fall
(Dallas Morning News © 03/15/2010)
This is a worrisome time of year for many Garland school district parents. They have been filling out school choice forms, deciding where they want their children to attend ...

For some Dallas district students, summer school begins later this year
(Dallas Morning News © 03/15/2010)
Dallas ISD has revamped summer school this year, with later starting dates and other changes. The biggest difference will be in the calendar: In the past, DISD grade school ...

Splendora ISD discusses budget process
(East Montgomery County Observer © 03/15/2010)
The Splendora Independent School District is currently going through its budget process to determine how it will progress for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.The board of trustees held a budget workshop meeting March 8 to discuss the budget process and whether there will need to be any changes in the district to help financially.

Carroll middle schoolers partner with special-needs classmates, and all are benefiting
(Fort Worth Star-Telegram © 03/15/2010)
A new peer tutoring program at Carroll Middle School that pairs students with seven special-needs classmates is being touted by educators as a tremendous success. The Carroll school district launched a pilot of Helping Our Peers Excel, or HOPE, in January.

LMISD job cuts more than first thought
(Galveston Daily News © 03/15/2010)
Potential job cuts in the La Marque school district will go deeper than district administrators originally had thought, with as many as 61 jobs cut, Superintendent Ecomet Burley said. Facing a $5 million shortfall next school year, school trustees gave Burley the go ahead to develop a plan to trim jobs from the district’s payroll.

Let's get behind longer school year
(Houston Chronicle © 03/15/2010)
Historically in the United States it has been our public education system that has allowed students to move from poverty into the middle class. It has been the one constant social program that has worked. However, we have not always seen a public education system that has kept up with changing times.

Lee College backs new ECHS program
(Baytown Sun © 03/14/2010)
The Early College High School (ECHS) received a major vote of support Thursday when Lee College regents voted to allow the classes to be held on third floor of the ATC building.

Finance chief explains MISD funding situation
(Midland Reporter-Telegraph © 03/14/2010)
Even as property values rise, Midland Independent School District is stuck at state funding levels from 2005-2006 and more reliant on local property tax revenues.Total 2009 tax rate was $1.16 per $100 valuation and is $1.15255 per $100 valuation for 2010. Property tax collections reached $96.8 million in 2009, up from $78.6 million in 2008.

No such thing as a bad test score
(Paris News © 03/14/2010)
Have you ever gotten your child?s testing results from school and wondered what they meant? Interpreting the scores can be frustrating! Although it is impossible to give directions to interpret all the different test scores parents receive in our area, this week?s column will address some different types of tests ? or assessments ? and descriptions of some terms used.

Hold fast to glimmers of hope in a state of ignorance
(Austin American-Statesman © 03/13/2010)
Parsing his vote for Rick Perry in the primary, one Republican told a reporter the message was to "let Texas be Texas." Yup. Texas, where he who panders hardest to the hard right wins the privilege of governing all. Texas, where a politician who led Aggie cheers can be the state's arbiter on global warming, as opposed to, say, alarmed A&M scientists who study it every day.

Tarkington ISD reevaluating high school program
(Cleveland Advocate © 03/13/2010)
The Tarkington ISD (TISD) board of trustees voted to reevaluate the courses offered at Tarkington High School.TISD superintendent John Kirchner explained to the board that the district began the process at the beginning of the school year and it will most likely result in the cessation of three classes next year.The classes that will be affected are Speech, Family and Consumer Sciences and ...

District Celebrates Read Across America
(Cypress Times © 03/13/2010)
CFISD administrators and Board members joined the National Education Association (NEA) in the annual Read Across America celebration last week by reading children’s books to various elementary school classes. The readers visited classrooms during the first week of March, corresponding with Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

Trainer Receives Award for Saving Athlete's Life
(Cypress Times © 03/13/2010)
Bryan Cooper, the Magnolia West High School trainer credited with saving the life of an athlete who collapsed on the field last week, was honored for his heroism at the March Magnolia ISD School Board Meeting. Stoically, Cooper gave most of the credit to the staff and administrators who managed the entire ordeal.

Voters should look beyond rhetoric of Perry, White
(Dallas Morning News © 03/13/2010)
As Texans settle into their seats for the next stage of the 2010 gubernatorial race, we offer this suggestion: Prepare yourselves now for a dizzying set of claims and counter-claims.

Irving ISD names superintendent
(Dallas Morning News © 03/13/2010)
The Irving school board hired Dana T. Bedden as the district's next superintendent Friday night. Bedden, 43, will earn a base salary of $244,400.

Boys and the 9th-grade gridlock
(Dallas Morning News © 03/13/2010)
Colleges face a challenge to masculinity that bulging muscles, rumbling voices and jacked-up pickups won't remedy.

LMISD must follow Open Meetings Act requirements
(Galveston Daily News © 03/13/2010)
The La Marque school district is facing two problems — one huge and one smaller, but still significant. The big one is the financial crisis. The district is looking at a deficit of $4.9 million, meaning some hard decisions must be made. It’s certain some people are going to be laid off. It’s possible a campus will close. It’s likely taxes will increase.

State education board keeps itself in the news
(Houston Chronicle © 03/13/2010)
Unless you have been out of the country since late last year, you know that Texas schools have again made the national news. The last time we basked in 15 minutes of fame was when our State Board of Education agreed to remove references to creationism in the science curriculum.

Proposed rule could derail consolidation plan
(Kerrville Daily Times © 03/13/2010)
A proposal from the Texas Education Agency this week about school district consolidations and funding could be a major roadblock to the proposed merger between Hunt and Ingram independent school districts. On Thursday about two hours before the Hunt board of trustees met to discuss the consolidation proposal for the first time TEA announced a proposal that would base state funding for ...

Hunt board reviews plan, community responds
(Kerrville Daily Times © 03/13/2010)
Hunt community members had their first opportunity to raise questions about a proposed consolidation between Hunt and Ingram independent school districts Thursday, and concerns ranged from the financial impact and school board representation to how quickly a consolidation could happen.

Attorney wants to oust judge in KISD lawsuit
(Killeen Daily Herald © 03/13/2010)
The plaintiff's attorney in a lawsuit against Killeen Independent School District asked Bell County Judge Rick Morris to step down from the case, citing a conflict of interest and district connections his client called "incestuous."

Jones and Meritt aren't ultra-conservatives' cup of tea
(Lubbock Avalanche-Journal © 03/13/2010)
Despite all the attention tea party candidates got during this primary season, they didn't fare too well in last week's election. Wharton County activist Debra Medina, for example, the best known tea partier in the state, got only 18 percent of the vote in the Republican race for governor.

HISD board chops cafeteria workers’ hours
(Memorial Examiner © 03/13/2010)
Lola Jasper opened her mail Thursday and could barely read it.“I got to the part where it mentioned my hours were being cut, and had to toss it aside,” said the 10-year cafeteria worker at HISD’s Sinclair Elementary. “There’s no way to make money.”Of the 1,680 food service employees at the district, many received letters similar to Jasper’s Thursday, notifying them that their hours would be cut ...

In teaching history, 'elections matter'
(San Antonio Express-News © 03/13/2010)
The State Board of Education tentatively approved new standards for social studies Friday with members divided along party lines — some blasting them as a fraud and conservative whitewash, others praising them as a tribute to the Founding Fathers that rightly portrays America as an exceptional country.

Shoppa lone finalist for WISD top job
(Wharton Journal-Spectator © 03/13/2010)
The wait to turn Thursday night’s announcement that Kay Shoppa is the lone final candidate for the position of Wharton Independent School District into a contract will take almost as long as the interview and selection process.With the announcement of Shoppa as the lone candidate, state law mandates a 21-day waiting period before a contract can be negotiated or signed.

Superintendent Gindt resigns
(Wise County Messenger © 03/13/2010)
The Decatur school district is now officially looking for a new leader after Superintendent Gary Gindt announced his resignation at Thursday's school board meeting. The announcement came immediately after board member Kevin Haney made a motion to extend Gindt's contract.

Teacher's pay would depend on student performance, not tenure, if state bill passes - The Miami Herald
When Pasco County school principal Ginny Yanson had to get rid of a bad teacher recently, it was like running an obstacle course. The teacher was new, still on probation. Under state law, she could be fired without cause. And yet, when she refused to execute lesson plans and ``wasn't doing any teaching,'' Yanson couldn't just pull out a pink slip.

The Big Idea -- it's bad education policy - Los Angeles Times
There have been two features that regularly mark the history of U.S. public schools. Over the last century, our education system has been regularly captivated by a Big Idea -- a savant or an organization that promised a simple solution to the problems of our schools.

No Child Left Behind overhaul: five key things that would change - The Christian Science Monitor
3,15,10 - On Saturday, the Obama administration released its blueprint for overhauling the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act. US lawmakers are to consider the blueprint – and make their own revisions – as part of a reauthorization process for the education law.

The benefits of national standards for student achievement - The Washington Post
WHEN 48 STATES launched an effort to formulate a set of standards for what children should learn in math and reading, there was a lot of skepticism. Considering that earlier efforts to establish national standards were doomed by resistance from the states, many doubted the states' ability to come up with something truly meaningful.

Obama plan flaw: achievement gap - The Washington Post
We wlll know much more about President Obama's plan to replace No Child Left Behind in a few weeks than we do now. When both the White House and the Congress are engaged on an issue this important, lots of changes happen.

Texas Statewide Math Science Partnership (TxMSP) Professional Development Network
Thursday, April 22, 2010 (5 p.m., ct)
TEA is requesting applications from Texas public institutions of higher education (IHEs) for the Texas Statewide Math Science Partnership (TxMSP) Professional Development Network grant. Eligible applicants must have in place a statewide professional development network or demonstrate the ability to establish a statewide network within the transition timeframe. The network will be focused on providing professional development in math and science to teachers across the state. Applicants must also demonstrate the existence of a partnership between the applicant IHE and the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) department of a public IHE and one or more high-need local educational agencies (LEAs). (“High need” signifies an LEA in which at least 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.)

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