that HISD move forward three years earlier to end as many TAAS exemptions in HISD as possible. In addition, we have recently announced that all schools in HISD will be expected to attain a rating of either “exemplary” or “recognized” under the state’s accountability system. There are four levels: “exemplary,” “recognized,” “acceptable,” and “low performing.” Three years ago, we declared a zero tolerance for schools with a rating of “low performing.” In the current year, we have raised the stakes to include the requirement that even an “acceptable” rating is unacceptable. HISD was also the first large school system in Texas to abolish “social promotion,” by developing rigorous new promotion standards for students in grades 1–8. HISD’s standards require students to demonstrate, through their test scores and class performance, that they have learned what is required of public-school children in the state before they are promoted to the next grade. If a student does not meet the standards, assistance is provided for improvement, and if no improvement is made by the end of the summer, then the student is retained. The results have been significant. Test scores have improved and students enrolling in mandatory summer school as an alternative to grade level retention have increased. We have also imposed another measure of student progress that goes well beyond what is required. In 2000, HISD announced that all first-grade students will be reading on grade level at the end of first grade and thereafter. This is significant departure from the state requirement that all third-grade students read on grade level at the end of third grade. We believe that waiting until the third grade to require on-grade-level reading skills is too lax and that expectations should be raised for students, teachers, parents, and school systems. HISD developed the High Frequency Word Evaluation for first and second graders to further assess their early reading skills beyond the Stanford and Aprenda (TAAS is not administered in first and second grades).
Q. Education, while locally governed, has become a national issue. What three arguments do you make in advancing the cause of public education as a prerequisite for a strong democracy, and how do you communicate these in your community? A. In the Houston Independent School District, we recognize the important, necessary coexistence of public education and the community. HISD’s purpose states that HISD exists to strengthen the social and economic foundation of Houston by providing the highest quality elementary and secondary education available anywhere. The purpose addresses two key relationships: the community has a responsibility to provide public schools for its children, and public schools have the responsibility to provide the community with the best education for its future citizens. Both sides of the relationship are based on the idea that the future of the community and the nation—and the democracy on which they will continue—is dependent on citizens who are educated, responsible, and productive. • In a democracy, citizens are considered equal. Public schools do not turn any child away from an education. Every child, regardless of social and economic background, physical ability, race, gender, or religion has a place in public schools. And through the open door of the public classroom, children learn from their continued on page 42
Multiple-choice tests are not the only means of assessing student progress, and HISD is reviewing the possibilities of training teachers to use rubrics that students can use to analyze their own performance on tasks that cannot be measured using standardized testing. In addition, we would like to develop end-of-course exams for every secondary-level subject to help schools align what is being taught with the standards established by the state and school district for each grade and subject. Without that information, districts cannot be sure that all students in every school have equal opportunities to learn.
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