2009 School District Rankings - the district as a whole (Dallas: low income, homes)

[FarNorthDallas]

From the Dallas Morning News today, plus a few more from the TEA website:

Exemplary Districts
Carroll
Gunter
Highland Park
LoveJoy

Recognized Districts
Allen
Celina
Coppell
Forney
Frisco
Garland
Grapevine-Colleyville
Hurst-Euless-Bedford
Lewisville
Melissa
Northwest
Prosper
Richardson
Rockwall
Wylie

Academically Acceptable Districts
Anna
Arlington
Birdville
Carrollton-Farmers Branch
Cedar Hill
Dallas
Denton
DeSoto
Duncanville
Fort Worth
Grand Prairie
Irving
Keller
Mansfield
McKinney
Mesquite
Plano
Red Oak
Terrell
Waxahachie

Academically Unacceptable Districts
Lancaster (due to high drop out rates of 7th-8th graders, says the DMN)
Midlothian

[TXNGL]

Academically Unacceptable Districts
Lancaster (due to high drop out rates of 7th-8th graders, says the DMN)
Midlothian>>

Now this is one thing that drives me nuts about the rankings, drop out rates for middle schoolers. If children are dropping out at 7th and 8th grade, doesn't that reflect on the parents rather than the schools? How does a child of that age drop out??? I've read that if the school or district cannot find a child expected back in the fall, they are automatically counted as drop outs. Having spent the past 6 years with a kid in Dallas public schools, I have news for them. Kids in the lower socio-economic classes disappear with their parents throughout the entire year. Some will have moved to a nearby school after a move and can be found. Some go back to Mexico. Some move to other districts, states, what have you... . Sorry for the rant but the way I see it it's the parents fault, whether they have simply moved the child without letting anyone know or if they've allowed the child to drop out. What are the schools supposed to do with these 12, 13, 14 year old kids, tie them up?
Sorry again, this just irritates the dickens out of me!

[Acntx]

Both Midlothian ISD and Lancaster ISD are filing appeals with the Texas Education Agency to contest the completion/annual dropout figures that caused each district to be "Academically Unacceptable." Midlothian High School's completion rate for its economically disadvantaged students was listed at 73.3%, below the acceptable standard of 75.0%, which the district claims is based on inaccurate and outdated data. That one indicator caused the entire district to be designated "Academically Unacceptable" even though seven of the district's nine campuses received "Recognized" or "Exemplary" ratings.

The number of dropouts at Lancaster Middle School is listed as 21 out of 1,009 (or 2.1%), which is contested by the district. The standard for an "Academically Acceptable" rating is a rate of 2.0% or less, and that caused the district's "Academically Unacceptable" rating despite having two-thirds of its campuses designated "Recognized" this year.

According to TEA, up to ten non-completers/dropouts may be appealed for any district. Midlothian and Lancaster are basically rated "Academically Unacceptable" because of a single student, so if any discrepancy is discovered during the appeals process and gets the Commissioner of Education's approval, their ratings will rise to "Academically Acceptable."

On the Channel 11 news yesterday, when it came to identifying "Academically Unacceptable" districts in the area, only Lancaster was mentioned and Midlothian wasn't despite the similar non-academic factors that caused the designation in both districts.

[loves2read]

what everyone kind of passes over is the fact that ANY DISTRICT'S RATINGS are also reflective of the parents and students contributions--so sometimes it is not that a district is that great but the material they are working with is--as in Southlake Carroll and I think HP and Lovejoy--small, homogeneous student bodies from above income homes with better educated parents--what is difficult to teach about that...

I noted that Keller was bounced back to Acceptable from Recognized and read they claimed it was all based on results of just a few students at one school in a niche group---well, that is the way TAKS works...and has since inception-- one student in a special group can sway the results of 1200 other students much more significantly than 1 student in major groups
and Keller knows that as well as any district...
I think Plano coming into Acceptable ratings just goes to the aging of the area--and the fact that the ethnic groups that did so much for test scores are probably moving into more suburban areas--even Southlake Carroll or Grapevine Colleyville on the Tarrant side

[loves2read]

Kudos to Garland and HEB--two older districts with large % of minority, low income students and they prove that good teaching does exist in moderately priced home areas

[TXNGL]

I noted that Keller was bounced back to Acceptable from Recognized and read they claimed it was all based on results of just a few students at one school in a niche group---well, that is the way TAKS works...and has since inception-- one student in a special group can sway the results of 1200 other students much more significantly than 1 student in major groups>>

Yes. Daughter's school missed exemplary by 2 students in a sub-group last year.

[Grainraiser]

I think these numbers are just numbers. Having said this I must give Garland ISD it's kudo's. It is a old district with students from all socio-economic backgrounds and races. The fact that they got a recognized score for the entire district is impressive in my book.

[Lakewooder]

Garland, HEB and Richardson all deserve congratulations for being able to deal with increasingly diverse student populations and bringing them along to achieve on TAKS. I think they have had changes which have been more incremental rather than sudden, which has helped and should be the model for districts in suburbs which are now aging and changing.

Did anyone notice that Plano ISD and Dallas ISD are ranked the same? I'm sure I'll be bringing that up again!

[Big G]

Well, Plano got dinged because of one reason - 20 of 33 black kids at one middle school flunked the science TAKS.

Hmm,the black kids at the other 11 Plano middle schools had no problem meeting the state standard. Neither did the white or Hispanic kids at Armstrong.

So, yeah, 20 bad apples managed to trash the entire district's reputation. I'm sure their parents are proud.

By comparison, Dallas ISD had 22 SCHOOLS that were Academically Unacceptable. 22 schools versus 20 students. But you go ahead and conclude that the districts are the same.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Big G

Well, Plano got dinged because of one reason - 20 of 33 black kids at one middle school flunked the science TAKS.

Hmm,the black kids at the other 11 Plano middle schools had no problem meeting the state standard. Neither did the white or Hispanic kids at Armstrong.

So, yeah, 20 bad apples managed to trash the entire district's reputation. I'm sure their parents are proud.

Why I think the bragging and such about the whole TAKS rankings is such nonsense and not even a true representation of the districts or the schools. I would not pick a school or district based on TAKS rankings as they are so construed that they can't even protray an accurate picture of the education being given in each school and district.

As for Garland, I'm glad they did get Recognized and I believe they always have. I don't pay much attention honestly. The thing is, even in lower income schools there ARE parents that DO care about their childrens educations and want them to strive to attain higher levels of education and wage earning. I've seen it firsthand and sad to say that some of the lower income people DO have more values and value a good strong education more than some higher income families.