Extra Credit

Details of school finance deal struck in Texas Legislature released

State officials hashed out a nearly last-minute deal on school finance late yesterday. Today we're seeing the details of how the state will cut $4 billion from Texas public schools in the next two years.

Tarrant County area schools will lose $260 million over the next two years. Under the deal, the Fort Worth school district will lose nearly $40 million over the next two years. Arlington will lose almost $29 million. Click here for a complete list of district-by-district cuts.

Included in the deal are efforts to eliminate target revenue by 2018. The complex system was created during the 2006 overhaul of school finance that set different per-pupil funding levels for each school district. However, the deal also establishes a joint legislative committee to address school finance between now and the 2013 legislative session.

 

UPDATE: Here's the local district-by-district breakdown. 

District name 
Aledo                               $5,415,240
Arlington                          $28,944,047
Azle                                 $5,265,993
Birdville                            $11,063,577
Burleson                           $7,345,677
Carroll                              $8,085,954
Castleberry                       $1,948,475
Crowley                           $9,076,757
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw    $20,336,740
Everman                           $2,384,536
Fort Worth                       $39,188,679
Grapevine-Colleyville        $13,504,670
Hurst-Euless-Bedford       $22,630,622
Keller                               $28,949,003
Kennedale                        $1,693,966
Lake Worth                      $2,983,716
Mansfield                         $25,104,342
Northwest                        $22,496,680
White Settlement             $4,252,858
Total                                $260,671,532
 

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Five Fort Worth trustees "no-shows" for called meeting

The division on the school board was visible tonight when a majority failed to come together to hold a special meeting. 

Trustees were to debate and possibly name an interim superintendent tonight, but the nine-member board needed five trustees to make a quorum. Only four showed up.

The four trustees who asked for the meeting were visibly upset saying their colleagues intentionally sabotaged the meeting to avoid naming Deputy Superintendent Walter Dansby as interim, some of them indicating race was a factor.

“It’s shameful,” trustee Carlos Vasquez said. “Shame on my colleagues for not taking the time to come to do what’s important for the future of our district.”

Vasquez and trustees Juan Rangel, T.A. Sims and Ann Sutherland pushed for the meeting with the goal of naming Dansby interim in the wake of superintendent Melody Johnson announcing her plans to resign effective Sept. 19. Vasquez said Sutherland asked for the interim superintendent item to be placed on last Tuesday’s meeting. When it was not, the four requested the special meeting. Board policy requires at least four trustees to call a special meeting.

Board president Ray Dickerson said earlier this week that the meeting wasn’t necessary because there was no need for an interim. He said Tuesday that he hoped the board could name a permanent replacement before her departure and if not, an interim could be named later.

About 50 attended the meeting scheduled before the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Many in attendance also voiced frustration at the cancellation. Some had signed up to speak at the meeting, and Sims wanted to allow them to speak anyway. But after consulting with the school district's attorney, Rangel said he wanted to be cautious on having the appearance of a meeting, which would be against state law without a quorum.

Vasquez and Sims said they worried the other trustees aren't supporting Dansby because he is black. Four of the five trustees who did not show up (Dickerson, Judy Needham, Norm Robbins and Tobi Jackson) are white and one (Christene Moss) is black.

Robbins said he had a long-standing commitment for his wife and had asked for the meeting to be rescheduled. “This was something I could not reschedule, and I felt I should honor,” Robbins said. “I found it courious that we were rushing to do this meeting on the Memorial Day weekened. I don’t know what the rush was.”

-Eva-Marie Ayala

 

Fort Worth school officials bracing for drop in state ratings, discuss Teach for America contract

Texas schools should have their results from state testing by today, meaning officials are busy crunching numbers to see what their state academic ratings will likely be when released this summer. Last night, Fort Worth superintendent Melody Johnson said the local results would be released by the end of next week. Again, she hinted school ratings — which are largely based on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tests — would drop. “It is going to be a different picture. We tried to prepare the board for that,” Johnson said. “But I think we have some good news as well. It’s going to be one of those transition years.”

Statewide, schools are likely to see ratings drop largely because of the elimination of the Texas Projection Measure, or TPM. The controversial provision gave schools a bump in school ratings if students did not pass TAKS but were predicted to do so soon. Critics said it allowed schools to distort the reality of what actual student performance was. Supporters said TPM gave schools credit for making progress, particularly in urban schools that are graded on many more indicators because of its diverse student population.

Trustee Ann Sutherland said she was concerned that the district was moving forward on hiring through Teach For America. In October, trustees approved plans to spend about $3 million to hire 50 teachers in each of the next three years through TFA and 100 in each of the next five years through The New Teacher Project. Administrators put those plans on hold as the district was considering layoffs and budget cuts recently. Tuesday chief of administration Sylvia Reyna said that since the district was not laying off teachers and needed to hire new teachers for vacancies, TFA recruits will be considered.

Sutherland said that wasn’t what trustees were led to believe about the contract. School Attorney Bertha Whatley stopped the discussion saying the matter wasn’t posted on the board’s agenda. Johnson said she would call Sutherland later to talk about it to which the trustee said, “I don’t want to be called about it. I want it to not happen.”

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Fort Worth trustees to vote on superintendent's resignation tonight, some move for an interim

Tonight trustees are expected to vote on accepting Superintendent Melody Johnson's resignation, which would take effect Sept. 19. In closed session, they are expected to discuss candidates and qualifications
for a possible interim superintendent or successor. Though Johnson's resignation wouldn't take effect for 
another four months, some are pushing to name an interim now. At least four trustees want a special meeting this Friday to vote on an interim, the number of trustees needed to call a special meeting by board policy.

UPDATE from earlier posting: A frustrated sounding board president Ray Dickerson said the meeting will likely take place Friday though he wasn't exactly sure why it was needed. "I don't understand why these games are being played," Dickerson said. "We don't have an opening. We have a superintendent who will be in place until September. We hope to have a replacement by then but if not, we can consider an interim later."

But trustee Carlos Vasquez said an interim is needed to work with Johnson now to ensure a smooth transition should a superintendent search extend well past Johnson's last day, which he said was likely. "We need to have a transitional plan in place to start working with her and be with the superintendent for the closing of the school year and be there at the opening of school year to give stability to employees," Vasquez said. He pointed to former educator Joe Ross being appointed a transitional superintendent when former superintendent Thomas Tocco resigned in 2004. Ross was named in late April that year to take the reigns in July after Tocco's last day. Ross was to serve a few months but was in his post for about a year until Johnson began her duties here.

Johnson abruptly announced her intent to resign during a principal's meeting last week. Since then, some have already come out supporting Deputy Superintendent Walter Dansby (pictured left) as an interim or successor. Others want a national search, including Mayor Mike Moncrief who said he supported that during this morning's council meeting. Meanwhile, a former teacher/parent has launched a Facebook page urging transparency in the selection process.

Along with other council members, Moncrief thanked Johnson for her efforts in Fort Worth. Though the school district isn't perfect, she's done an outstanding job, he said. "I have never worked with anyone that comes close to her equal. ... I don’t think there’s a superintendent who’s given any more energy and focus to trying to make a difference,”  Moncrief said.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Texas Wesleyan law graduate gets top score in Texas Bar exam

For the first time, a Texas Wesleyan law graduate finished with the top score in the Texas Bar exam. Daniel Denton, a December 2010 graduate of university's School of Law, earned the highest score on the February 2011 exam. Denton will address an audience at the State Bar of Texas' New Lawyers' Induction Ceremony in Austin on May 23.

-Diane Smith 
 
 

UNT bees will be given to area beekeepers so they can form new colonies

After living peacefully on the UNT campus for several years, bees from two colonies will be moving. UNT announced this week that a professional bee removal company will be taking the bee colonies off the walls of the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building on Saturday and Sunday. One of the bee colonies has been on campus for 18 years, according to UNT. Another one, located about 50 from the original colony, has existed for about two years.

"UNT has allowed the bees to live peacefully for many years because of their benefit to the environment," the university state in a press release. "One of the colonies has recently shown signs of becoming aggressive, which led to the decision to remove the colonies."

Several streets, parking lots and buildings will be closed during the bee colony removal.

-Diane Smith

Fort Worth superintendent thanks staff, says schools need great teams

Melody Johnson told staff it wasn't an easy decision to resign and that it came after months of consideration, the superintendent wrote in a message to district employees about her resignation. Johnson said she was grateful to teachers, principals, custodial workers and other staff, business leaders and the community for the collective work they've done to help educate Fort Worth's students.

Johnson also noted that she was grateful to school trustees -- past and present -- for helping her to build strong curriculum, technology and support for teachers and students. "Mostly, we have invested in our educators," she wrote. "It is in the classroom where the magic happens every day, but it requires strong leaders at all levels and great teams supporting them. Please continue to be those leaders."

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Fort Worth and Dallas are different ... except when they're not

The superintendents of both school districts indicated today that they would be leaving their districts. Fort Worth's Melody Johnson resigned saying she spend more time with her family and consider her options. Dallas' Michael Hinojosa is the lone finalist for a job in the Atlanta area. Interestingly, the two school districts were looking for a superintendent at the same time six years ago when those two were selected. "Isn't that ironic?" Fort Worth trustee Juan Rangel said “Someone called me today and asked, 'What are you doing down there in Texas? Is it a two-for-one deal?'”

Another interesting side note to today's events, Hinojosa was a consultant for the search firm that selected Johnson as a candidate for Fort Worth.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Fort Worth superintendent says it's increasingly difficult to remain focused on education

Superintendent Melody Johnson told principals this morning that she is stepping down from the top post. The news comes after a year of ongoing struggles in the district and in-fighting among trustees. Johnson has been in Fort Worth for six years. Here's what she wrote to trustees:

“It has been my great privilege to provide leadership to the 12,000 employees, our 81,000 students, their families and this great community.
 
She added, “For 36 years I have been involved in unifying educators and working side-by-side with them to ensure the best for students.  In recent months however, it has been increasingly difficult to remain effectively focused on the instructional agenda for our students.”
 

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Southlake Carroll's Mark Terry is president-elect of national principal group

Members of the National Association of Elementary School Principals have elected a Carroll school district principal as their next leader.

Mark Terry, principal of Eubanks Intermediate School in Southlake is president-elect of the board of directors.

The incoming president begins his term on July 1 and Terry will take the office in one year, according to an announcement on the group's website.

Jessamy Brown