Extra Credit

Even athletes aren't fit

    Most people probably weren't surprised that fewer than one-third of Texas third-graders were deemed physically fit in six areas of a new assessment this spring. But in a state that has multiple sports for every seasons, you would expect high school students to fare better than the 8 percent listed in a report released Tuesday by the Texas Education Agency.  Not so, said Fort Worth heath and physical fitness director Georgi Roberts. "We could have an outstanding baseball player who does not have cardiovascular endurance or flexibility and has more body weight than is desirable," she said. "That's why it's so important for our students to learn to have an active lifestyle. Not many 30-year-olds still play football." Roberts is using the heightened interest in fitness to speak out about ways to improve physical education programs. That means smaller class sizes, proper facilities and equipment and trained teachers, she said. "A lot of schools don't have gyms for physical education," Roberts said. "You can't teach a class of 100 kids if you have to go outside." Read more.

--Martha Deller      

School closings, Part II

Whoops, I missed one. The Texas Education Commissioner has ordered Houston's Sam Houston High School to shut down after not meeting minimum academic standards for the sixth year. Like Austin's low performing high school, Houston has the option of reopening the closed high school under another name and new staff and new direction. Let's hope these two are it.

- Martha Deller

First school to close

It's a dubious honor, but Austin's Johnston High School will be the first school in Texas to be closed due to poor test scores. Facing its fifth "academically unacceptable" rating based on its preliminary TAKS scores, Austin district officials announced the closure. Staff at Fort Worth's Polytechnic High School, which has held the unacceptable rating for three years,  are crossing their fingers that their school won't meet the same fate.

- Martha Deller   

Your A.M. roundup

Report says Texas graduated far fewer than TEA stats show

Arlington school board's summer assignment: Hire principals

Birdville High's longtime band director steps down with a flourish

Girl who won't give up inspired state champs to persevere

-Patrick M. Walker

Your A.M. roundup

Longtime Fort Worth youth mentor Margaret Williams is retiring

Program would let students double their degrees

Carroll swim center to get chlorine treatment system

Mother of invention

-Patrick M. Walker

Cleburne waiting for answers

If you waiting to hear the Cleburne school district's' answer to the highly critical state audit report of the its federal spending, don't hold your breath. District officials, who initially intended to publically discuss their response to auditors at their May 12 board meeting, now say they'll wait until after a May 14 meeting with auditors in Austin. Then they'll make a power point presentation _ probably at a May 20 meeting _ to summarize their 2,000-page response to TEA. You heard it right _ 2,000 pages to respond to a 156-page TEA report. The public will be able to read part of it on the district website. For the more detailed documents, however. you'lll have to examine them at district ofices. We can hardly wait.

-Martha Deller 

Fun with federal funds

Inflatable alligators. Skeet shooting. Trips to Mexico. All funded by your federal tax dollars. But wait a minute. The Texas Education Agency said the Cleburne school district will have to repay those and other expenditures --  to the tune of $367,000 -- unless school officials can convince the agency they are allowable. Read all about it in Wednesday’s Star-Telegram.

-- Martha Deller

Texas school accountability changes

Higher passing standards and the inclusion of more tests are among more than a dozen changes being made to the state’s four-tier education accountability system. Each year, the commissioner of education reviews the system — which ranks schools and districts as academically unacceptable, acceptable, recognized and exemplary. The system is largely based on student scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
The 2008 Accountability Manual, including all of the Commissioner Robert Scott’s changes, will be released by late May. Accountability ratings will be released on or before Aug. 1. Here are some of the major changes to the system.
- TAKS indicators: Two new scores will be included in the figuring of a school’s rating. The first is eighth-grade science. The second is students’ scores on the TAKS-Accommodated for science and social studies in all grades, and for TAKS-Accommodated for all subjects in grade 11. Beginning in 2010, all other TAKS-Accommodated scores, including reading, math and writing for all grades, will be included. TAKS-Accommodated is a grade-level test given to special education students. The test is identical to the TAKS test, except it includes modifications such as larger font and fewer questions on a page.
-TAKS standards: In 2009, the passing standards for an acceptable rating for writing, social studies, math and science will increase by five percentage points to 70 percent, 70 percent, 55 percent and 50 percent, respectively. In 2010, math and science standards will increase by an additional five percentage points each, to 60 percent and 55 percent.
Also, the standard for a recognized rating will increase from 75 to 80 percent in 2010.
The passing standard required for an exemplary rating will hold steady at 90 percent.
-Exceptions Provision: There are 25 test scores that play into determining a school’s rating. (reading, writing, math, science and social studies taken by five student groups: African American, white, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged and all students) In the past, schools rated academically unacceptable could use exceptions to drop 3 of the 25 scores, and bump up to a rating of acceptable. Beginning this year, schools can use up to four exceptions to become recognized or exemplary. An exception cannot be used for the same measure for two years in a row.
For more information on these and other changes, go to www.tea.state.tx.us.

- Katherine Cromer Brock