| Three Houston schools have been persistently | | | | unsatisfactory. |
| rated as unsatisfactory by state guidelines | | | | |
| for three or more years. As with most school | | | | During the last school year, the Houston |
| closing warnings across the nation, the | | | | schools changed administrators at several |
| parents, community, and elected officials | | | | chronically unsatisfactory schools and a |
| with a political stake in the area are up in | | | | large percentage of the teaching staff at |
| arms over the possibility. | | | | each school. Though tremendous improvement |
| | | | was seen at Kashmere, Sam Houston, and |
| Though parents want their children to attend | | | | McReynolds, there was not enough progress |
| schools within their own neighborhood, I | | | | made and they were again rated as |
| believe the community must look at the cost | | | | unsatisfactory. |
| of keeping these three schools open - the | | | | |
| students are failing, unable to meet the bare | | | | For the 2006-2007 school year, the Houston |
| minimum requirements of the state! With their | | | | schools have developed a year-long campaign |
| futures at risk, I would think that parents | | | | in hopes of saving the three schools. School |
| would want their children at better | | | | hours will be extended in order to provide |
| performing schools. | | | | more instruction time to the students, |
| | | | top-rated teachers have been hired to |
| The Houston schools' ratings are based on | | | | co-teach in problem classes, and an |
| statewide student achievement tests and the | | | | educational achievement plan will be created |
| overall dropout and graduation rates of each | | | | for each student. All three schools for this |
| school. If a proposed policy by the Texas | | | | year will be under the supervision of Dr. |
| Education Agency is adopted, then the state | | | | Karen Soehnge, the Houston schools' chief |
| education commissioner will be able to close | | | | academic officer. |
| in the near future any school that is rated | | | | |
| unsatisfactory for four consecutive years. | | | | The Houston schools have looked at several |
| Thus, Houston schools Superintendent Dr. | | | | strategies to save these schools. The ones |
| Abelardo Saavedra is only preparing the | | | | they have implemented up-to-now have failed. |
| public, in case the schools do not gain a | | | | If this current campaign fails as well, then |
| satisfactory rating at the end of the | | | | the schools will be closed. It is a "improve |
| 2006-2007 school year. | | | | immediately" or "close the doors" situation |
| | | | for the schools, the students, and the |
| In 2005, Saavedra warned that Kashmere High | | | | educators. |
| School, Sam Houston High School, and | | | | |
| McReynolds Middle School needed to improve | | | | All students deserve a quality education, and |
| their ratings or drastic measures would be | | | | it is obvious that schools, which continue to |
| taken. Privatization of the schools was | | | | be rated unsatisfactory, are not providing |
| mentioned then; however, the Houston schools | | | | such. The Houston schools must do better for |
| currently are preparing for closing the | | | | these children. |
| schools, if they again are rated | | | | |