Amid
the flap of jowls and the rustle of cheap suits at the Capitol, over four years ago an
accountability system for Texas public education was born. “Test those kids
with a tough, standardized exam,” the policymakers at the Capitol barked, “and
hold those teachers and principals accountable! And raise the bar every year!”
But is it just possible that in their mission to be tough, the accountability
mavens have forgotten to be fair, too?
Consider the case of AISD’s Zavala Elementary, which just four years ago was
rated as “low performing” because of its scores on the Texas Assessment of
Academic Skills (TAAS). The school soon brought its scores up to a level deemed
“acceptable” by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and has been climbing
steadily upward since then. But now they’re told their progress isn’t good
enough — even though their achievement this year, in fact, exceeds TEA’s own
standards for receiving a special citation.
Earlier this month, when TEA released campus-by-campus TAAS scores, five AISD
schools were rated “exemplary” for having a passing rate of at least 90%, and
eight were “recognized” because 70% or more of the kids passed TAAS. All 13 of
these celebrated schools, by the way, are located west of I-35 and have few, if
any, low-income students. Zavala, with a majority of students living in public
housing, was more than ready to be the first East Austin school to be
“recognized” — 81% of Zavala’s kids passed reading this year, almost 77%
passed math, and 93% passed the writing section of the TAAS. But a statistical
blemish on Zavala’s scorecard has put their well-earned accolade out of reach.
Why? It’s complicated and Byzantine — and it’s where TEA, in the name of
getting tough on Bubba, may just be outsmarting itself instead.
Here goes: Not only do 70% of all students have to pass all sections of
the TAAS, 70% or more of each so-called subgroup (African-American, Hispanic,
White, and Economically Disadvantaged) must also pass for the school to gain
“recognized” status. No problem there — all of Zavala’s subgroups, too, made
the grade. But a school must make continuous progress, as well. Not even a tiny
dip in passing rates is allowed. Because the school’s economically
disadvantaged subgroup “slipped” in reading, from 81% passing last year to
79.8% this year, Zavala doesn’t get “recognized.”
Get it? Think that’s fair? Neither does Zavala’s former principal, Al
Mindiz-Melton, now the principal of Webb Middle School. He fired off an August
2 missive to Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Moses, protesting the slap at
the school and appealing for redress of the situation. “We need accountability,
and I support it,” Melton told the Chronicle. “But we need a system
that’s easily understood and meaningful.” Melton said that many schools deemed
“recognized” not only do not have economically disadvantaged kids, they don’t
even have passing rates as high as Zavala’s — “and that is not fair.”
Melton said that the Commissioner’s office informed him that the school
superintendent must be the one to request an appeal. But even though AISD
Superintendent Jim Fox has expressed regret over the quandary Zavala finds
itself in, he is not inclined to bounce Melton’s appeal back to Moses. Through
another district employee, Fox said, “There is no basis to appeal.” Melton said
he plans to be active during the 1997 legislative session and work to change
the system that has been so punitive in Zavala’s case.
At its regular meeting Monday, the AISD Board of Trustees took the next step
in implementing the $369 million bond program and appointed a community bond
oversight committee. Each of the nine trustees appointed one Austin resident,
and the superintendent appointed six; the 15-member group will select its own
chairperson at its first meeting in September. Among those named to serve are
Austin First Lady Elizabeth Christian, who co-chaired a citizens’ campaign to
pass the bonds; Sue Johnson, director of District 5 of the Barton
Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District; and Pascual Piedfort, who served
on the citizens’ bond advisory committee.
Trustees approved new principals for Reagan High School and Reilly Elementary,
as well as a host of assistant principals at 10 other schools. The board also
set a public hearing on the proposed 1996-97 tax rate of $1.311 per $100
property valuation; it will be held at 6:30pm on Monday, September 9 at the
Carruth Administration Center Auditorium, 1111 W. Sixth. The tax rate is
scheduled to be adopted on September 23.
Fox reported to the board that AISD’s stepped-up efforts to get students into
school on time this year have been fruitful. Over 2,000 more kids enrolled in
AISD during the first two weeks of the school year than last year, which will
yield nearly $300,000 more in state funding. He said that as of Friday, August
23, enrollment was 75,698; total enrollment for 1996-97 is projected at 77,105.
This article appears in August 30 • 1996 and August 30 • 1996 (Cover).