Texas educational standards (Houston, Dallas, Plano: school districts, colleges, tax)

[john gunn]

I've just finished reading both Texasand Friday Night Lights and I notice that they are extremely critical of the Texas school system and what they perceive as the overemphasis on athletics at the expense of academic standards. Now these books are clearly rather dated, since Michener's book was published in 1985 and FNL was published in 1990, but are their criticisms still pertinant today?

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by john gunn

I've just finished reading both Texasand Friday Night Lights and I notice that they are extremely critical of the Texas school system and what they perceive as the overemphasis on athletics at the expense of academic standards. Now these books are clearly rather dated, since Michener's book was published in 1985 and FNL was published in 1990, but are their criticisms still pertinant today?

The quality of Texas public schools varies greatly across the state. The schools are organized by independent school districts ("ISD") - each with their own administration and most important - tax base.

I didn't read either of those books but I think Texas schools are better than commonly believed outside of Texas. I don't have it handy - but Texas did reasonably well in many national rankings. Not as well as some top performing areas like Massachusetts - but far better than California.

Some large urban school districts, like Dallas ISD and Houston ISD, clearly have challenges. Dallas is doing some things I find offensive - such as dumbing down requirements to pass (vs. fail). These districts deal with an enormous range of socio-economic issues. So they do have fine schools but also have many poor ones. Neighboring ISDs like Highland Park, Plano, etc. perform very well. But they have homogeneous student populations drawn from families with high socio-economic status.

I don't think football really plays a part in it overall although many believe it does. High school football is no doubt huge - but even in a school like the one closest to me - Lake Travis (two time 4A state champion and the top high school QB last year) - I do not see football causing a negative impact on academics.

BTW - I am not a big HS football fan. My kids are in other sports. I do resent the attention diverted to football - but that is compared with other sports. I cannot argue that it is pretty cool that 6,000 people from all over the community get together on Friday night at a family oriented event.

Athletes (actually any extracurricular activity) must maintain passing grades or they are ineligible to participate - the so-called "no pass no play" rule. Do grades get fudged for some star athletes? I bet it does in some places. But not routinely.

[TT Dave]

Well I didn't read either book but I did see the movie version of "Friday Night Lights". I live in Abilene, Texas and I can tell you that athletics, particularly high school football, is still a very big thing in the school districts out here in West Texas. From family and friends I have in other parts of Texas I think it's a common trend just about anywhere in the state. However, some cities are more intense than others. "Friday Night Lights" focuses on Odessa Permian High School. I lived in Odessa's sister city of Midland for a while back in the 90's and I can say that even though people in that area are very intense about their football, their academic standards are also very high from what I observed. Here in Abilene, people are also pretty passionate about their H.S. football, but I know many teachers here and I would say that "overemphasis on athletics at the expense of academic standards" may occur from time to time and may even be the case in some districts, but not in all of them.

[Westerner92]

That may be the case in some schools, but for the most part, athletics and extra-curriculars have no negative effect. In many cases, they motivate those involved in extra-curriculars to do well in school, and they give the school a source of pride. Twenty years ago, schools were much less regulated by government standards, so there may very well be elements of truth in those books. Nowadays, schools are pressured to do well on standardized tests, so academics take precedence as they should. In my high school, the main extra-curriculars we take pride in are academic competitions, and sports are just for fun.

[Pontificator]

Our schools have standards?

[TexasHorseLady]

While sports ARE a big deal here, the Texas school system does have No Pass No Play, which means that participation in ANY extracurricular activity (not just sports, but including them) can be revoked if your academic performance is seriously damaged by such and was, as near as I can find, the first state in the country to have such.

[bostoner]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

The quality of Texas public schools varies greatly across the state. The schools are organized by independent school districts ("ISD") - each with their own administration and most important - tax base.

I didn't read either of those books but I think Texas schools are better than commonly believed outside of Texas. I don't have it handy - but Texas did reasonably well in many national rankings. Not as well as some top performing areas like Massachusetts - but far better than California.

I think Texas comes in around the middle of the road from charts I've seen, in the 20's or 30's out of all 50 states. Where our schools really lack is in the teaching of critical thinking skills. That only happens in some schools or some classes, when it needs to happen in all schools. Our schools could be far better, for sure. I wish the arts were supported as much as or more than athletics.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by john gunn

I've just finished reading both Texasand Friday Night Lights and I notice that they are extremely critical of the Texas school system and what they perceive as the overemphasis on athletics at the expense of academic standards. Now these books are clearly rather dated, since Michener's book was published in 1985 and FNL was published in 1990, but are their criticisms still pertinant today?

John, I think it is a matter of opinion. Many do think sports are stressed to much, all I can do is judge this by watching my two granddaughters as well as a few others go through the Texas system just no WEst of Dallas. They are now in their 20s, married and pursueing careers. I can assure you they got an excellant education.

Large unban school districts will always have challenges, this is the nature of the beast. It can be a Texas district, Los Angeles, New York or Denver. The same holds true with very small rural districts. Often they suffer as well, but overall Texas isn't much different from other states.
Nita

[loves2read]

to some extent, they both still hold true--what has changed is that it is more difficult for an athlete in a high school program who IS a talented, desireable catch for a college program to move out of high school UNLESS s/he is also at least semi-decent in the classroom...
no pass, no play revolves around making the MINIMUM passing score--not excelling --but you are right in that it is incentive for many students

having higher standards from the other side of the negotiating table has done more to improve academics than almost anything a teacher has to say...
more and more colleges are not willing to take the chance to give a borderline eligible student an athletic scholarship--and obviously they can't qualify for academic ones...
you always read stories about the super success stories like LeBraun James but he is the exception to the rule really...most athletic scholarships are given NOT to Div I schools--which are usually the high drama stories--but more to smaller schools and less-noteworty players...but they are still scholarships in an era of increasingly expensive college costs...so they are highly sought...

admins will tell you that schools need academics AND athletics to give students something outside the classroom to find success with--and that is true but there are plenty of students who care only about their football team and don't have a clue as to what the golf, wrestling, gymnastics or swim team did in any given season--
partly that is newspaper exposure and the fact that football commands just larger team body counts since in high school there are at least 3 and sometimes 4 teams --by far the largest expenditure of athletic funding each year...as well as having to suppord the stadiums' costs...but large part of that is just our area's affinity for football since in DFW area have a major NFL presence--as long as the Cowboys are here, I think any other high school sport in public school is just taking a back seat...

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

While sports ARE a big deal here, the Texas school system does have No Pass No Play, which means that participation in ANY extracurricular activity (not just sports, but including them) can be revoked if your academic performance is seriously damaged by such and was, as near as I can find, the first state in the country to have such.

It's a good thing too if those in charge will adhere to the rule and stick to their guns. Many years ago when I was the high school secretary in a Texas public school, one of the star football players was failing. I entered the grades from the teachers into the system. The principal came to me and asked me about this certain student and his grade. I told him he was failing. He said, "Change it." I said, No, you want it changed, you change it." I made it clear I wasn't going to do anything dishonest. I got up and he changed it. Had I had more sense back then, I would have reported him. I regret to this day that I did not. Needless to say, I left the next Autumn and moved on away from him, the fool.