Public Education Edition 2020
Technology: Access to devices and connectivity
Facilities: Campus-based resources and transportation
Human capital: Teacher/principal e ectiveness
Academic & extracurriculars: All district-sponsored programs and activities
COVID-19: Preparedness for and e ects from disruption
This campus turnaround program was implemented in 2017 to lift performance at campuses rated Improvement Required. The program includes social and emotional support, teacher incentives and training, targeted curriculum and school leadership. In its rst year, it received national recognition. $17.7 MILLION 53 Schools receiving support Annual investment SCHOOL TURNAROUNDS 1
COLLEGE ACCESS 2
HISD consistently enrolls about 15,000 to 16,000 prekindergarten students every year. In 2019, it began o ering free full-day pre-K. PREKINDERGARTEN 3
TECHNOLOGY 4
This college-readiness program founded in 2010 targets high- achieving students from low- income families with the goal of gaining acceptance into top-tier, out-of-state schools. It takes them on campus tours and o ers mentoring, test prep and help with college applications.
Responding to the widespread digital access gaps in the transition to virtual learning, the district is providing devices and internet hot spots.
Without pre-K:
Total devices (laptops, iPads) distributed by September
99,112
22% of students were school ready.
One year of pre-K:
Total hot spots distributed by September
25,779
39% of students were school ready.
of participants graduate college in 4 years. 83%
1,300
Students participating annually
Two years of pre-K:
$31.19 MILLION in federal funds
45% of students were school ready.
student outcomes should look like and rallying parents—and voters—to that cause, said Elliott Whitney, chief program o cer for Good Reason Hous- ton, a nonpro t that consults with area districts on improv- ing schools. “One of the di cult things is creating a case for urgency,” he said. “The number of kids
at risk will grow, not shrink, without bold action with equity at the center.” Cruz said the district is open to a wide range of partner- ships to implement changes. “There are lots of people out there and organizations that have the desire to help us. We ask them to please give us a call because we are serious
about this,” he said. Without a wider commu- nity e ort and informed advo- cacy, success for students such as Batiste becomes a “luck of the draw,” she said. “I’m fortunate to have had my mother advocate for me. But most kids don’t have a parent who knows how to advocate. The jumps we had
to go through just to get access to another public school—not even a private school—were unfair,” Batiste said. Batiste’s mother took steps to make sure she had access to a good school, but she won- dered: Why were there not good schools in her neighbor- hood to begin with? “It’s in everyone’s best
interest that there are no quote-unquote bad schools,” she said. “It’s better for the city. It will only make the city as a whole thrive. It’ll only go up. Who wouldn’t want that?”
Tell us what you think. Comment at communityimpact.com .
17
HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2020
Powered by FlippingBook