As election time draws near, I think it is time to refocus on the issues of the campaign and the importance that this race has for the school board. I have been asked countless times how I feel about the district, what could actually be done to make things better, and how it compares to other schools. I think it is time to look at cold, hard facts and put forth solutions to some of the problems that face the district. In this next week I would like to talk about some of those problems and ways that we can work to correct them. After looking seriously into the district I realized that the image of a broken system echoed throughout our community, and by realtors to newcomers to the area is not completely unearned, but it is also not completely true. The public high school system in Bryan offers more advanced courses (such as IB and AP), and more opportunities for participation than any private schools in the area. If you have a child who is academically in the top 20% to 25% they will get an excellent education in BISD. From GT programs in elementary school to the “school within a school” programs at the junior high level and finally the myriad of High School Options they have opportunity to excel. They will take AP / IB courses, they will attend college, and they will compare favorably to the top percentage at most other high schools. These students do not need help and the district is serving them well. If I did not believe this with all of my being, I would not have my children in BISD. I decided to run for BISD School Board to try and make the district better for all students, but mostly for those NOT in the top 25%. As I am sure most of you are aware, TEA has ranked BISD in the bottom 7% of all school districts in Texas. For the 2012 TEA Adequate Yearly Progress standards (AYP), the district had 9 elementary schools, 3 of 4 junior high schools and 3 High Schools (Rudder, Bryan High, and MC Harris) that failed to meet the required state standards. This is a tough road to recovery, but ignoring the problem will not make it go away. Bryan ISD faces some unique challenges that College Station does not including a 76% poverty rate in the district. What this means is that the solution will have to be multi-pronged and innovative. Below are several ways in which we can start to attack this problem. One of the first things to do is to minimize the number of students being allowed to take the minimum required graduation plan. Ensuring that parents, students, and administration all meet together to make decisions about taking this path will help to minimize the number of students that take it and help them understand the ramifications. Another area that should be looked into is increasing the availability of tutoring outside of the normal school day. Many of these students do not have the resources at home to get the help that they need understanding the material. Another approach is to reach out to the parents as well and try to get them more engaged in the process. Administration should be encouraged to reach out to parents in an effort to help find a solution. I believe that parental involvement is the single biggest key to a child’s success in school. We have to support our teachers. State testing mandates and large classroom sizes cripple their ability to teach. Bryan ISD has some of the most devoted teachers you could find. It is extremely difficult for a teacher to maintain order in an “on level” class with 30 children at the junior high level let alone teach. Smaller classes will allow them to have more time per student and less disruption per class. We must also ensure that high achieving students are identified at the elementary level and are encouraged to take advantage of the flagship junior high programs. At the High School level, students and their parents, need to be aware of the myriad of advanced programs and students directed towards these programs by administration. The goals and operation of Collegiate, Hammond Oliver, and the AP / IB programs at Rudder and Bryan should be understood by all parents and students. Finally, another area that I think is key is to expand our vocational programs and the opportunities for certifications. So much energy is directed at “attending college” that students equate that to the only way to be successful. Success can come in many forms and we have to ensure that non-college bound students, who are the majority of our district, graduate from BISD ready to make a living in a career field, not at minimum wage jobs. This is by no means all inclusive, and some other areas will naturally overlap later this week, but it is a starting point for focus. I appreciate your time and the consideration that each of you are giving to these issues.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:34:24 +0000