Tag Archives: schools

Longer school year for some?

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe, for some schools whose students lag behind, as a way to catch up. [HISD] is designing a pilot program to allow a handful of struggling schools to adopt an extended-year calendar starting this fall. The reform effort — estimated … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Longer school year for some?

HISD gives final approval to teacher dismissal plan

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier has gotten approval from the HISD Board of Trustees to implement a plan that would allow for the dismissal of teachers whose students don’t make enough progress on standardized tests. Data provided by HISD show that, … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

HISD may race to the top

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the earlier decision by Governor Perry to not let Texas compete for “Race to the Top” stimulus funds, school districts like HISD may get the chance to apply for them on their own. President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HISD moves ahead with its teacher dismissal plan

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. The school board on Thursday gave initial approval to a policy that allows the district to dismiss teachers whose students consistently perform below expectations on standardized tests. The change represents a move to make personnel decisions based … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Evaluating teachers

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is sure to be contentious, but I think it’s the right direction. Teachers in Houston ISD could lose their jobs for failing to improve student test scores under a controversial proposal slated for a school board vote Thursday. HISD … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

School districts feeling the crunch

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The state’s budget problems, which are caused to some degree by the economic slowdown, aren’t just problems for the state. They’re local problems as well, and the entities that have been hardest hit are those that had been given short … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on School districts feeling the crunch

School construction update

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As I read this story about the progress of school construction authorized by the 2007 bond referendum, it strikes me that we picked a heck of a good time to do this. Piney Point is one of about 160 campuses … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on School construction update

Eat your veggies, kids

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas school children don’t have sufficiently healthy diets. I know, I can’t believe it, either. Only 8 percent of Texas teens are eating enough fruits and vegetables, a new report finds, despite efforts to stock school cafeterias with healthier foods. … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where conservative governance gets incubated

Posted on October 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This story about area school board elections is both a revealing look at the state of the modern conservative philosophy of how to govern, as well as a stark reminder of why these obscure little elections really do matter. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

The SBOE is more than just a clown show

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The clown show part we know about, but the State Board of Education is also responsible for managing the state’s $20 billion Permanent School Fund, and as they politicize scholastic issues it seems politics may be playing a role in … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

School bus billboards

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A cash-strapped school district’s gotta do what a cash-strapped school district’s gotta do. Faced with a projected $9 million to $12 million budget deficit this year, Superintendent Greg Smith told the Board of Trustees last night that it’s time to … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Helping teen parents in schools

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting article about how HISD high schools helps the moms and moms-to-be among its students. Two points to make: Most teen moms don’t graduate high school, and national statistics show that far fewer — only 2 percent — go on … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Parents get their vote on HISD school construction projects

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The battle between a parents group and some HISD trustees had been waging with HISD Board President Larry Marshall over getting a vote for some school construction projects that the parents said had been promised during the 2007 bond referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No vote from HISD on several school upgrades

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I noted that a parents group and some HISD trustees were complaining about there not being a vote on three school construction projects that were promised as part of the 2007 bond referendum. Even though we now have … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Steroids: Still not a problem in the schools

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

At least, as far as our ridiculous and expensive steroid testing og high school athletes program can tell, we don’t have a problem. More than a year has passed since the state implemented one of the world’s most ambitious steroids … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Steroids: Still not a problem in the schools

Free childhood immunizations available

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from the Houston Fire Department: Get Your Child Ready For School With Free Immunizations from The Houston Fire Department and Blue Cross and Blue Shield It takes more than school supplies to get your child ready for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Free childhood immunizations available

Cy-Fair parents want their school buses

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Parents in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District react with dismay to cutbacks in school bus service. “I implore you, please reconsider these routes,” said parent Rachel Gerhardt. “Some are hazardous. My main concern is that my child gets to and … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

You don’t get what you don’t pay for

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

School buses. Who needs ’em? Homeowners in the Cypress-Fairbanks school district are able to keep their special tax break this year, but now thousands of students are left without school bus rides. To make a dent in a $14 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

As goes Cy-Fair, so goes Texas

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier this month, I noted that the Cy-Fair ISD was considering the repeal of an optional homestead exemption so it could pay for salaries and services it needed for the schools. They backed off after residents protested, choosing instead of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Education stimulus money for Texas approved

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The U.S. Department of Education has approved Texas’ application for using $3.2 billion in federal stimulus money, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said. That money will be used to pay for textbooks and a $1.9 billion increase in school … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Education stimulus money for Texas approved

Use your cell phone, pay a fine

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Attention, school kids: Using your cellphone during school hours can cost you. Cell phones are generating some serious cash for Texas school districts. It’s all because of students being fined for texting or chatting in the classroom. The Texas education … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas to get stimulus funds for education

Posted on July 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Two weeks ago I wondered if there might be an issue with Texas receiving stimulus funds for education because of the way these funds had been appropriated in the state budget. I’m pleased to see that the answer is no, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lower taxes, less revenue, lower quality

Posted on July 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, you need tax revenues to pay for needed services, and when the demand for those services outstrips the growth of the tax revenues, you either have to find a way to raise more revenue, or you have to cut … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Lower taxes, less revenue, lower quality

Is there a problem with the stimulus funds?

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I hope not. The debate over whether Texas lawmakers can use federal stimulus money to boost education spending, including funding a raise for teachers, is heating up. The Obama administration warned states Thursday it may withhold millions of dollars if … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Parker on education

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I noted that Mayoral candidates Peter Brown and Gene Locke expressed very different opinions at a candidate forum about the Mayor’s role in public education, with Brown advocating an urban school district with Mayoral appointees for its board, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Brown and Locke spar over education

Posted on May 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

At a Mayoral forum on Thursday, Gene Locke and Peter Brown get into it over the school system. Gene Locke, the former city attorney, targeted Councilman Peter Brown’s recent statement to the Chronicle that Houstonians should consider forming an urban … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why words matter

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

On Sunday, I mentioned HB1323, the anti-bullying bill that Equality Texas helped to draft. It was originally scheduled to be on the House calendar on Monday; it’s on today’s calendar now, but nothing is carved in stone these days. Anyway, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why words matter

School finance bill advances

Posted on May 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Has there ever been a legislative session that didn’t deal with school finance? This Lege is dealing with it as well, and the good news is they may have made some actual progress. Texas teachers would get an $800-a-year raise … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Scaling back steroid testing in the schools

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, yes, yes. House and Senate budget negotiators will decide in the coming weeks whether the [$3 million a year program to test high school student athletes for steroids] continues — and its scope and pace. “It’s not needed. House … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Big education bills pass

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, the SBOE may be doing its best to destroy public education in Texas, but the Lege took a step forward to make it better by passing omnibus school reform bills in each chamber. Crafted by the education leaders in … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Big education bills pass

Get ready for the next school funding lawsuit

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The handwriting is on the wall. Property tax cuts and a stingy state budget have left many Texas school districts saying they are short-changing children and warning of another lawsuit attempt to force reforms. Texas lawmakers plan to increase school … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get ready for the next school funding lawsuit

The “strengths and weaknesses” showdown

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Back in January, the State Board of Education somewhat surprisingly voted to remove anti-science “strengths and weaknesses” language from the curriculum. That was only a preliminary vote, however, and today is the day that the hearings begin for the final … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The “strengths and weaknesses” showdown

More on the end of the sixty-five percent rule

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an updated story on the end of the sixty-five percent rule. Gov. Rick Perry’s 4-year-old mandate that schools spend at least 65 percent of their money on classroom instruction is under fire from key lawmakers in Perry’s own party. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the end of the sixty-five percent rule

“Strengths and weaknesses” rears its head again

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I know we thought that the current round of anti-evolutionism was in remission once the effort to change the science textbooks by the State Board of Education fell short. Sadly, these things never truly go away, and where the SBOE … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Strengths and weaknesses” rears its head again