2014 National Merit Semi-Finalists (Dallas, Plano, Denton: rental, how much, big house)

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TX75007

This idea is excellence should be pushed down to the other schools.

There is no reason we cannot do this down at the middle levels of ability in far more mundane fields like plumbing, carpentry, mechanical and electronics technicians, and service fields.

Just like we have magnets for college bound kids, we need the same for kids who can succeed in blue collar and white collar jobs that do not require Tier 1 academic training.

IMHO DISD could really make a name for itself by doing this.

All of the districts could. It's kind of elitist to assume that DISD kids will benefit from vocational training while implying that kids in RISD, PISD, LISD, etc. won't because they're more affluent, less diverse suburbs. Not every kid in the suburbs is college-bound either.

I don't think you are trying to be elitist, mind you; I'm just saying that steering Dallas kids into trades while being silent about vocational training in the suburbs can come off as elitist.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

All of the districts could. It's kind of elitist to assume that DISD kids will benefit from vocational training while implying that kids in RISD, PISD, LISD, etc. won't because they're more affluent, less diverse suburbs. Not every kid in the suburbs is college-bound either.

I don't think you are trying to be elitist, mind you; I'm just saying that steering Dallas kids into trades while being silent about vocational training in the suburbs can come off as elitist.

It is Opportunist, not elitist. And focused on what is achievable.

I agree that the suburbs can focus on this - and many do. LISD has a number of certification programs.

One of my brothers is a union welder. He worked his way up and now manages over 100 workers and makes over six figures. Not bad for no college degree. He got his training in HS in his JR and SR years. When he graduated he got his union card and started working.

Another brother works in another blue collar field. He just made partner in his firm.

A BIL got his A&P in the Army and makes in the 90s.

All got training in HS.

The Elitist label is another form of squirrel chasing for political gain rather than solving a problem.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TX75007

It is Opportunist, not elitist. And focused on what is achievable.

I agree that the suburbs can focus on this - and many do. LISD has a number of certification programs.

One of my brothers is a union welder. He worked his way up and now manages over 100 workers and makes over six figures. Not bad for no college degree. He got his training in HS in his JR and SR years. When he graduated he got his union card and started working.

Another brother works in another blue collar field. He just made partner in his firm.

A BIL got his A&P in the Army and makes in the 90s.

All got training in HS.

The Elitist label is another form of squirrel chasing for political gain rather than solving a problem.

If you re-read my post, you'll see that I didn't call you elitist. I said that calling for vocational training in DISD while not doing the same thing for suburban school districts can be interpreted as elitist.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

If you re-read my post, you'll see that I didn't call you elitist. I said that calling for vocational training in DISD while not doing the same thing for suburban school districts can be interpreted as elitist.

I know what you said.

Why is it the first thought frame for many people is that it is elitist vs "Hey, great idea?"

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TX75007

I know what you said.

Why is it the first thought frame for many people is that it is elitist vs "Hey, great idea?"

Sigh.

I don't think it's elitist. And I'm tired of having to re-explain my thoughts here. My posts speak for themselves.

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by TX75007

Expectations. Peers. Curriculum. It takes all three.

Put those kids in a sea of mediocrity and you would see different results.

I've been in both situations and there is no comparison to being with like minded kids in a hard program.

Duh

That was my point...

It has nothing to do with the schools. It's the kids. If you flipped flopped where the kids went to school you'd get different results, in each school.

[DitsyD]

Originally Posted by bencronin04

Oh and BIGS props to Lewisville ISD.

Top 3 HS's for PISD/LISD:
PISD: 78
LISD: 66

And from what I've gathered, LISD has about half the student body as PISD.

That is incorrect. From Wikipedia, PISD has 55,000 students (does not say at what date) and LISD has 51,000 for the 2010-2011 school year (article does mention that LISD is growing quickly). So comparable student numbers.

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by DitsyD

That is incorrect. From Wikipedia, PISD has 55,000 students (does not say at what date) and LISD has 51,000 for the 2010-2011 school year (article does mention that LISD is growing quickly). So comparable student numbers.

Per the 2010 data, the total graduating class sizes from LISD high schools and PISD high schools was about equal (I have 3,229 total graduates from LISD and 3,212 from PISD).

Flower Mound HS, however, deserves lots of props for their NMSF percentage (IIRC, tops among non-magnet publics for at least 2 years running now). Pretty soon I expect other schools will want to mimic their program that prepares high achievers for the PSAT. (So yes, in a limited way I guess they're "gaming" the system in that they have a program specifically set up to drive up NMSF numbers, but they also have great averages overall so absent other info I'm assuming it's beneficial for the student body as a whole).

[bencronin04]

I'm sorry I should have said for their 3 top schools. They have 5 HS

[DitsyD]

Originally Posted by synchronicity

Per the 2010 data, the total graduating class sizes from LISD high schools and PISD high schools was about equal (I have 3,229 total graduates from LISD and 3,212 from PISD).

Flower Mound HS, however, deserves lots of props for their NMSF percentage (IIRC, tops among non-magnet publics for at least 2 years running now). Pretty soon I expect other schools will want to mimic their program that prepares high achievers for the PSAT. (So yes, in a limited way I guess they're "gaming" the system in that they have a program specifically set up to drive up NMSF numbers, but they also have great averages overall so absent other info I'm assuming it's beneficial for the student body as a whole).

Thank you for more accurate numbers than I had. I knew that PISD wasn't twice the size of LISD.