September 2006
Copyright © 2006 • Queue, Inc.

Education News

For back issues of this newsletter, as well as current and back issues of our other newsletters, U.S. Education News and Education Research Report, please go to: http://www.queuenews.com/

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High School Best Practice Study

Just for the Kids, Texas

The Study

The Texas High School Best Practice Study was part of a larger national research study to investigate the practices of schools that consistently outperform their peers. Research teams studied schools in 20 states to identify key practices of consistently higher performing schools in a variety of policy contexts. In Texas, research teams investigated three consistently higher performing and two average performing high schools to determine the differences in practices between higher and average performing high schools and build on previous best practice research in the state. Schools were identified through an in-depth analysis of academic achievement developed by the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) using data publicly available from the state. Conducted by NCEA, the 2004-2005 Texas High School Best Practice Study received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and The Broad Foundation. Researchers used site-based interviews and observations, as well as the analysis of supportive documentation, to investigate the practices of each of the schools in the study. Previous NCEA research in Texas schools provided a basis for a deeper study of district-, school-, and classroom-level practices related to Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building, one of the five themes of NCEA’s Best Practice Framework. The Framework’s other themes are Curriculum and Academic Goals; Instructional Programs, Practices, and Arrangements; Monitoring: Compilation, Analysis, and Use of Data; and Recognition, Intervention, and Adjustment.

The Summary

Research teams wrote individual case studies about each school. This report presents summary findings across the cases. Major findings from each case are presented first to provide a brief picture of each higher performing school studied. The composite picture of Best Practice Findings in Texas, based on differences detected between higher and average-performing schools, follows with examples from individual schools. This report is a synthesis of findings including direct quotes and summary information drawn from case studies and a cross-case report1 written by NCEA researchers. The JFTK Best Practice Framework, developed by NCEA, is used to structure the findings.

The entire summary can be seen at:
http://www.just4kids.org/bestpractice/files/state/Texas/TX_Executive_Summary.pdf

To view earlier case studies, please go to:
http://www.just4kids.org/bestpractice/study_framework.cfm?study=Texas

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The Higher Performing Schools Studied: Kids, Texas

Hidalgo High School
Hidalgo Independent School District

The School

Hidalgo High School, which serves 728 ninth- through twelfth-grade students, is the only high school in Hidalgo Independent School District (3,033 students). Hidalgo’s student population is 99.4% Hispanic, 0.4% White, 0.1% African American, and 0.1% other. Within this student population, 23.9% are English Language Learners, and 97.4% receive free or reduced lunch services.

Major Findings

Known as “a treasure on the border,” Hidalgo Independent School District actively hires teachers internationally. The recruitment process focuses on bringing in the best possible candidates who are willing to undertake both personal and professional growth opportunities. New teacher orientation is used as a boot camp to help familiarize new teachers with Hidalgo’s student population, state assessments, effective teaching practices, data analysis, and state and national mandates. A comprehensive “grow-your-own leadership model” includes a professional learning incentive feature, which provides monetary rewards for teachers earning a master’s degree. Principals attend training sessions with their staff so they can be additional resources and understand the practices and strategies being implemented across the district and/or school. District and school personnel conduct follow-up sessions and visits to cement the professional development experiences and to assist with implementation in each classroom.

Richardson High School
Richardson Independent School District

The School

Richardson High School, which serves 1,421 tenth- through twelfth-grade students, is one of six high schools in Richardson Independent School District (34,949 students). Richardson’s student population is 50.1% White, 24.8% Hispanic, 18.6% African American, 6.3% Asian, and 0.2% other. Within this student population, 12.7% are English Language Learners, and 42.4% receive free or reduced lunch services.

Major Findings

Richardson ISD’s professional development plan “stems from a cold, hard look at weaknesses highlighted by the data” and focuses on improving the quality of classroom instruction. Horizontal teams develop strategies to address learning needs; vertical teams streamline instruction to better prepare students for the depth of mastery expected at progressively earlier grades. District curriculum directors regularly spend time in schools, talking with teacher groups about student progress and the instructional strategies the teachers will implement in the coming weeks. In addition to recruiting principals from its Leadership Development Academy, Richardson ISD works with a neighboring district and two local universities in an urban collaborative for minority leadership in education. The district benchmarks teacher salaries with eight surrounding districts to provide a competitive salary schedule and benefits package. Consequently, according to the principal, the school has never lost an applicant due to salary issues.

Tuloso-Midway High School
Tuloso-Midway Independent School District

The School

Tuloso-Midway High School, which serves 996 ninth- through twelfth-grade students, is the only high school in Tuloso-Midway Independent School District (3,220 students). Tuloso-Midway’s student population is 49.8% Hispanic, 47.6% White, 1.5% African American, 0.9% Asian, and 0.2% other. Within this student population, 2.2% are English Language Learners, and 40.8% receive free or reduced lunch services.

Major Findings

Capacity-building activities for principals focus on developing their skills as instructional leaders. To support and provide follow-up training for this development, the district’s training model requires district administrators to attend any training prescribed for principals. After a thorough review of the data, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction works with principals to outline school-level professional development plans for the year. The assistant superintendent approves training only if it is aligned with campus goals. Teachers indicate that staff development opportunities are “focused, data driven, and well-coordinated.” Curriculum alignment is the main topic of much of the district-level staff development. The district supplies district- level and school-level mentors for new teachers. Each school-level mentor receives a $400 stipend for supporting a new teacher. The district provides professional development follow-up activities for all participants to avoid having disconnected “one-shot training.” The superintendent asserted, “We make sure all our teachers are familiar with all new learning and have internalized that learning.”

Five organizing themes provided the structure for studying the practices of consistently higher performing schools. The themes are listed below.

1. Curriculum and Academic Goals

2. Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building

3. Instructional Programs, Practices, and Arrangements

4. Monitoring: Compilation, Analysis, and Use of Data

5. Recognition, Intervention, and Adjustment

Texas High School Best Practice Study: Conclusion

Researchers conducted site visits to five high schools in Texas, which were identified through the NCEA analysis. Summaries of the findings of those practices that appeared to distinguish consistently higher performing high schools from average-performing ones in the area of Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building are presented below:

The Findings

Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building

Strong Instructional Leadership

Districts actively sought to recruit and develop leaders from within the district. Two of the districts provided formal principal development opportunities for teachers aspiring to the principalship. Principals were monitored and guided by district leaders to continue to grow as professionals. Incentive programs encouraged leaders with demonstrated success in raising student achievement levels to continue to do so in that district.

Highly Qualified Teachers

Recruitment efforts took various forms, including job fairs, online announcements of openings, and recruitment from among former students, student teachers, paraprofessionals, and teachers in other districts. Each school’s reputation served as a recruiting tool, in addition to benchmarked pay schedules and advanced professional support. Effective teachers—that is, those whose students’ achievement was measurably improving—enjoyed pay increases and other benefits.

Capacity Building: Aligned Professional Development

Performance levels of principals and teachers alike were measured both through data interpretation and observations. All development activities were chosen in response to needs indicated in assessment data. District leaders accompanied principals to training events in order to be able to guide principals in the effective implementation of new practices. Likewise, principals participated in professional development activities with their staff for the same reason. Principals’ expertise as instructional leaders allowed them to model, coach, and evaluate effective practices in the classroom. Mentors were trained to provide meaningful support to new and struggling teachers, and they were compensated for their efforts. Teachers also received incentives to pursue their master’s degrees. In addition to formal professional development activities, teachers collaborated in horizontal and vertical teams during regularly scheduled meeting times.

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Texas Southern Regional Education Board 2006 State Report

The Southern Regional Educational Board has issued reports for each state in its region. These reports, customized for each state, provide information about SREB states' progress toward meeting the Challenge to Lead education goals. Data related to each of the 12 goals are displayed in presentation-style slides, which include commentary to help states understand their data in a national context. Here is a summary of their findings for Texas:

State Profile

Texas’ K-12 enrollment will continue to increase but at a slower pace.
Texas had a higher percentage of children living in poverty than the nation.
More than half of students in Texas lived in low-income households.
The proportions of high school graduates from minority groups will increase in Texas.

First-Grade Readiness

Children in poverty had full access to Texas’ public pre-K programs.

Achievement in the Early Grades

Texas has made significant progress in fourth-grade reading since 1998.  
Texas fourth-graders were close to national results in NAEP reading.
Black, Hispanic and white fourth-graders in Texas improved in reading.
Texas youth beat the nation in NAEP reading, especially in urban areas.

Achievement in the Middle Grades

Texas eighth-graders beat the U.S. and the region in NAEP math.
Texas’ black, Hispanic and white eighth-graders improved in math.
Texas eighth-graders eligible for the lunch program beat the nation in NAEP math.
Texas trailed SREB states in students taking algebra or pre-algebra in eighth grade.

High School Graduation

Texas’ high school graduation rate exceeded the national average.
In Texas, black students graduated at higher rates than their national counterparts.

College and Career Readiness

Texas requires courses in Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry for college-prep students.
Texas does not require courses in an academic or career pathway for all students.
Student participation in Advanced Placement in Texas exceeded the national average.
Texas’ percentage of students taking the SAT academic core neared the national average.
The average SAT score remained steady in Texas.
Achievement gaps among student groups on the SAT did not close in Texas.

School Performance Standards

Texas’ state standards for fourth-grade reading appeared lower than NAEP Basic.
Texas’ state standards for eighth-grade math appeared higher than NAEP Basic.
Two percent of Texas’ public schools were on the NCLB “school improvement” list.

School Leadership

Texas is making some progress in reforming school leadership.

Qualified Teachers

Texas trailed the nation in high school mathematics teachers certified in mathematics.
Texas paid beginning teachers more than surrounding states.

Education System That is Aligned

Too many eighth-graders in Texas were not ready for high school.

Education System That is Accountable

Texas increased K-12 per student funding, adjusted for inflation.
Per student funding at Texas’ four-year institutions fell, adjusted for inflation.
Texas’ two-year colleges declined in per student funding, adjusted for inflation.
Texas reported that it had implemented nine of the 10 essential elements.

To see full report, please go to: http://www.sreb.org/main/Goals/Publications/06Color_PDF/TX-color.pdf

For Power Point presentation: http://www.sreb.org/main/Goals/Publications/State_Goals_Reports_2006.asp

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ACT Scores Rise in Texas

Test scores on the ACT college admissions exam rose this year, with Asian-American, American-Indian and white students from Texas outscoring their peer groups nationally.

The average composite score for Texas students was 20.3 out of a possible perfect score of 36. That represents an increase over the 2005 state composite results of 20.2, but the Texas score lags behind the national average composite score of 21.1.

With 106,281 students taking the ACT in the 2005-2006 school year, Texas has the fifth largest number of test takers in the country. Of those, 73,524 were members of the graduating Class of 2006, compared to 72,294 members of the Class of 2005 who took the test last year.

The ACT is composed of four subject area tests that cover English, math, reading and science. Texas saw an increase in the average score for all four subject areas.

1. The largest gain occurred on the math test with the score rising from 20.3 in 2005 to 20.6 this year.
2. Reading scores for Texas students rose from 20.3 in 2005 to 20.5.
3. The average science score rose from 20.2 to 20.3 in 2006.
4. The average English score for Texas students was 19.3 in 2005, increasing to 19.4 in 2006.

To read the complete article, please go to: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/press/act06release.pdf

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SAT Math Scores for Texas Students Rise, Reading Falls

New SAT results released today show Texas students improved their math scores but received slightly lower reading scores this year. Nationally, scores declined on both parts of the exam.

The average math score of the 129,784 Texas students enrolled in public and private schools who took the SAT was 506 out of a possible 800. That compares to a score for Texans of 502 in 2005. While the Texas score showed improvement, it fell short of the national average math score of 518. Nationally, math scores dropped two points in 2006.

The 2006 mean score on the critical reading section of the SAT was 491 for Texans and 503 for all students who took the exam. That represents a two-point decline in the Texas score and a five-point drop in the national score.

The College Board, which oversees the SAT program, for the first time, reported scores for its new writing test. Texas students earned an average score of 487, compared to a score of 497 nationally.

To read complete article please go to: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/press/satrelease06.pdf

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 87 Percent of Districts and 81 Percent of Schools Meet Federal AYP Requirements

Eighty-seven percent of Texas school districts made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under a federal evaluation system created by the No Child Left Behind Act.
Among the state’s 7,956 campuses, 6,437 or 81 percent met or exceeded the AYP performance targets.. In 2005, 78 percent of the campuses met AYP targets.

AYP evaluations for individual schools and districts are available at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp.

AYP evaluations are based on participation and performance on state reading/English language arts (ELA) and mathematics exams in grades 3-8 and 10; graduation rates and attendance rates. The passing rates are computed using results from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS); the State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II); Locally-Determined Alternate Assessments (LDAA); the Reading Proficiency Tests in English (RPTE); and Linguistically Accommodated Testing (LAT) in mathematics.
The data are analyzed for all students and each of the following student groups that meet minimum size requirements: African American, Hispanic, white, economically disadvantaged, special education and limited English proficient.

To meet AYP requirements for 2006, a school or a district was required to have:

1. a passing rate on state reading/ELA exams of 53 percent or higher for all students and each student group, or show a 10 percent decrease in students who failed the state tests and improvement on either the graduation rate or attendance rate;
2. a passing rate on state mathematics exams of 42 percent or higher for all students and each student group, or a 10 percent decrease in students who failed the state tests and improvement on either the graduation rate or attendance rate;
3. a 95 percent or more student participation rate in the testing program or an average 95 percent student participation rate on combined 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 testing data;
4. a graduation rate of 70 percent or higher or show improvement;
5. an attendance rate of 90 percent or higher or show improvement.

School Improvement

Provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act allow students in consistently under performing Title I schools to receive additional schooling options. The options available depend on the length of time a school has been on the School Improvement Program (SIP) list.

Complete details about the requirements schools and districts must follow when they are on the School Improvement Program list at any stage are available at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/titleia/sip/sip.html

Along with offering supplemental services, the school must take at least one of the following corrective actions:

1. replace the school staff who are relevant to the failure to make AYP;
2. institute and fully implement a new curriculum, including providing appropriate professional development;
3. decrease management authority significantly at the campus level;
4. appoint an outside expert to advise the campus on its progress toward making AYP;
5. extend the school year or school day for the campus;
6. restructure the internal organizational structure of the campus.

For the first time, Texas has two charter campuses that have moved into Stage 4 school improvement because they missed the same AYP target for five years. Both are due to math performance.

The charter schools must continue to offer technical assistance and tutoring to eligible students. They must prepare a plan to implement one of the following options:

1. replace the principal and staff;
2. contract with a private management company;
3. be subject to a state takeover; or
4. implement any other major restructuring of campus governance.

A listing of schools and districts that are on the School Improvement List is available at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/titleia/sip/sip.html

Additional AYP information is available at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp

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Six Teacher of the Year Finalists

Six top educators from throughout Texas have been selected as finalists for the Texas Teacher of the Year award for 2006-2007.

            The six finalists – three who are elementary school educators and three who are secondary school educators – were selected from 40 regional Teachers of the Year.  One elementary teacher and one secondary teacher are selected from each of the state’s 20 education service center areas.

            The three finalists for the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year award are:

1. Dana Boyd, a second-grade teacher at Dolphin Terrace Elementary School in the Ysleta Independent School District (ISD);
2. Susan Gowens, a second-grade teacher at Flour Bluff Primary School in Flour Bluff ISD; and
3. Maureen Haggerty, a special education teacher for students in grades 2-4 at South Knoll Elementary in College Station ISD.

The three finalists for the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year award are:

1. Victoria Fletcher, a math teacher and coach at Hubbard High School in Hubbard ISD;
2. Mark LaCroix, a social studies teacher at Midland Freshman High School in Midland ISD; and
3. Nika Maples, an English teacher at Fossil Ridge High School in Keller ISD.

            The finalists now advance to the next round of judging where the state’s top elementary and secondary teacher of the year for the 2006-2007 school year will be chosen. In addition, one of those two teachers will be selected as the Texas nominee for the National Teacher of the Year honors.

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Number of Advanced Placement Exams Taken Increases

            AUSTIN – The number of Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken by Texans increased 56 percent in the past four years and the number of Texans taking the tests increased 53 percent during that period.

            High school students who earn high scores on AP exams can earn college credit for courses, saving their families thousands of dollars in tuition costs.

            Figures just released from the College Board, which oversees the AP program, show that 122,969 Texas students took the exams in 2006, which is a 9.5 percent increase from 2005 when 112,263 students were tested.  It also represents a 53 percent increase from 2002.  That year, 80,240 Texas students took AP exams.

            Many students take more than one AP exam each year. In 2006, this state’s students took 224,168 exams, representing a 9.7 percent increase from 2005 when 204,403 exams were taken.  This year’s figures represent a 56 percent increase from 2002 when 144,060 tests were taken.

            Texas students took 35 different types of AP exams, ranging from subject such as United States History to Italian to Macroeconomics.  The tests most frequently taken by Texans were: English Language and Composition; U.S. History; Spanish; World History; and Calculus.

            There was a 9.5 percent increase over the past year and a 41.7 percent increase since 2002 in the number of exam scores of three or higher. The grading scale is one to five, with five being the highest possible score.  This year, 108,824 exams earned scores of three, four or five.  Typically, universities will award college course credit for AP scores of three or more.  Through the AP exams, some students earn one to two semesters worth of course credit before they ever officially enter college.

            Today, many selective colleges give special consideration to AP and honors classes when making admissions decisions, although the manner in which the information is used varies.

            In order to support and recognize AP classes, a state program awards campuses up to $100 for each student earning a score of three or higher.  Those awards are made each summer.

            State funds are also available to provide training to teachers and to help reduce the cost of the exams for all students and with additional reductions available for low-income students who take AP tests.       

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$9 Million Awarded to Academies and Centers

Competitive grants totaling about $9 million have been awarded to create seven additional Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) academies and five regional T-STEM centers. 

T-STEM is a $71 million initiative designed to improve instruction and academic performance in science and math related subjects in Texas secondary schools. T-STEM was developed by the Texas High School Project (THSP), a $261 million public-private initiative committed to increasing graduation rates and college enrollment rates in every Texas community.

The resources dedicated to the THSP support new and re-designed high schools, educator training and development, and specific programs designed to help students get ready for college. The approach used by the THSP creates learning environments where students build relationships with educators, are challenged with rigorous lessons, and are excited by subjects made relevant to their lives.

Three Implementation Grants Awarded

Three implementation grants to open T-STEM academies this fall are being awarded to Burnham Wood Charter School in El Paso, New Deal Independent School District (ISD) in Lubbock County, and YES College Preparatory Schools in Houston.

T-STEM academies are a mix of charter schools, traditional public schools, and smaller learning communities that will act as demonstration schools and learning labs to develop innovative ways to improve math and science instruction. The academies are open enrollment, focusing on the most at-risk areas in Texas, and will limit enrollment to no more than 100 students per grade.

Burnham Wood Charter School, which is opening a new campus that will serve grades 6-12, received a grant award of $700,000. YES College Preparatory Schools also received $700,000 to convert its Southeast campus, which serves grades 6-12, into a T-STEM academy. New Deal ISD, which will be creating a small learning community serving
grades 9-12 at New Deal High School, received $80,000.

Four Start-Up Grants Awarded

Start-up grants for T-STEM academies were awarded to Northeast ISD in San Antonio; Richardson ISD; Dallas ISD and Corpus Christi ISD. The four start-up grantees will use the upcoming school year as a planning year and will open the academies in the fall of 2007.

Northeast ISD, which is creating academies at Nimitz Middle School and Lee High School, and Corpus Christi ISD, which is creating academies at Cunningham Middle School and Moody High School, are each receiving grants of $750,000.

Richardson will create a T-STEM academy at Berkner High School, and Dallas will create an academy at Conrad High School. Each of these districts is receiving a grant of $480,000.

Prior T-STEM Academy Grants

Previous T-STEM academy grant award winners include Manor ISD near Austin; Harmony Science Charter School with campuses in El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio; Waxahachie ISD, and KIPP, Inc. in Houston.

Manor ISD and Harmony Science Charter School will open T-STEM academies in the fall 2006. Waxahachie ISD and KIPP, Inc. will open academies in the fall of 2007.
Three T-STEM academy grants were awarded in the fall of 2005 to early innovators: A.J. Moore Academy in Waco ISD; Carver High School in Aldine ISD; and the Academy of Irving in Irving ISD.

Ultimately, 35 T-STEM academies will be created around the state. Additional T-STEM academy grant opportunities will be available in the future.

Five T-STEM Centers

An equally important part of this initiative is the creation of five regional T-STEM centers, which will develop new science, technology, engineering and math instructional materials. They will also provide professional development training to teachers and school leaders, and will evaluate the practices used at T-STEM academies to identify successful practices that can be duplicated in other schools.

The five centers and their partners for each fiscal agent:

1. Education Service Center Region 1 – partnering with the University of Texas-Pan American; 13 school districts in Region 1 and the Charles A. Dana Center.
2. Education Service Center Region 13 – partnering with Education Service Center 20 in San Antonio; the University of Texas at Austin School of Engineering; San Antonio ISD; and Taylor ISD.
3. Texas A&M – partnering with Dallas ISD and Education Service Center Region 10 in Richardson.
4. Texas Tech – partnering with Lubbock ISD; Education Service Center Regions 15, 16, 17 and 18, which are housed in San Angelo, Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland, respectively.
5. University of Texas at El Paso – partnering with 12 school districts in the El Paso area and Education Service Center Region 19 in El Paso.

Best practices identified by the academies and centers will be shared through a T-STEM network that will be developed during 2006 and launched in 2007. Through the networks, schools across Texas will have access to relevant professional development, a rigorous math and science curriculum, lesson plans infused with real-world activities in math and science, and advice from peers and experts.

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 Fifth- and Third-Grade TAKS Scores Show Increases

Scores on the Spanish versions of the third- and fifth-grade reading and math Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) continue to show improvement with the number of students passing the test after three tries, increasing over last year.

Preliminary scores on English versions of the third- and fifth-grade high stakes tests also continue to show slight improvement.

To see the complete article, please go to: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/press/3_5TAKSJuly06.pdf

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Texas One of 4 States to Receive Dropout Prevention Grant

A $2.5-million federal grant to help meet the needs of students at-risk of dropping out has been awarded to the Texas Education Agency.

The TEA will collaborate through partnerships with the Communities in Schools, regional education service centers and Big Brothers-Big Sisters to more effectively address both the academic and social pressures shown to influence dropping out.

The Texas School Dropout Prevention and Reentry Program (TSDPRP) grant, one of only four awarded in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education, will address four major objectives:

• to expand current personal graduation plans by replicating comprehensive models;
• to increase partnerships between high schools and other organizations to leverage dropout prevention and reentry resources;
• to develop statewide capacity for implementing specific intervention strategies; and
• to evaluate the effectiveness of the state’s dropout prevention program and inform state dropout prevention policy.

To see the complete article, please go to: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/press/dropoutgrant.pdf

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Sherman ISD Joins More Than 120 School Districts Currently Served by Strategic Energy in Texas

The Sherman Independent School District (ISD), based on recommendations from its consultant, TES Energy Services, L.P., recently selected Strategic Energy to serve as its electric service provider of choice. The Sherman ISD is located approximately 60 miles north of Dallas, Texas, in Grayson County.

The Sherman ISD currently operates nine schools, in addition to administration and maintenance facilities, and is constructing two additional elementary schools, which are slated to open in August 2007.

Like most school districts across the country and in the state of Texas, Sherman ISD's electricity usage and expenditures are great. The school district's annual electricity consumption is roughly 8 million kWhs. Through its request for proposal (RFP) process, Sherman ISD and its energy consultant, TES Energy Services, L.P., sought a retail energy supplier that could help the district achieve its energy objectives -- cost reduction, budget certainty and ongoing energy conservation and management.

"At Sherman, we characterize our school system by our unrelenting passion of excellence," says Dr. Al Hambrick, interim superintendent for the Sherman Independent School District. "We believe Strategic Energy shares a similar passion in its commitment to helping its partners employ energy purchasing strategies that maximize electricity spend and achieve budget certainty."

About the Sherman Independent School District (ISD)

The Sherman Independent School District is located in Grayson County, approximately 60 miles north of Dallas, Texas, and serves the communities of Sherman and Denison. Sherman ISD provides quality learning services to more than 6,300 students in grades PK-12. For more information, visit www.shermanisd.net.

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Six Districts Receive Grants For College Readiness Programs

Six Texas school districts are recipients of about $10 million in GEAR UP grants that will help them provide comprehensive college readiness programs to their students, as well as strengthen their parental involvement programs.

The Texas Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR), is designed to provide services and support to reach school districts with a high percentage of low-income and minority students. The program helps ensure the districts’ students are academically prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

The project focuses on a number of aspects of college readiness, including access to advanced academic programs, increased family involvement in education, awareness of the college admission process and financial aid, and personal and career development. The initiatives target students beginning with seventh grade

The recipients of the grants are: the Alice Independent School District (ISD); Brooks County ISD; Corpus Christi ISD; Kingsville ISD; Mathis ISD and Odem-Edroy ISD.

Each district is eligible to receive a grant ranging in size from $125,000 to $250,000 annually for up to six years.

Along with the grants to these districts, almost $8 million in additional GEAR UP funds will be used to fund statewide college readiness and parental involvement efforts.

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St. Agnes Academy of Houston Uses Blackbaud's Total School Solution

St. Agnes Academy of Houston will rely on Blackbaud's total school solution to manage student information, communicate with students, parents, and alumni, and optimize a variety of operational activities.

"From the start, Blackbaud has been extremely responsive and continues to develop their products to meet our needs--with the recent release of Online Campus Community being a prime example," said Elaine Mouton, registrar of St. Agnes Academy, which has 840 students and nearly 9,000 alumni. "We look forward to using the solution to automate information updates, and better utilize our Web site to communicate and capture more accurate, up-to-date information."

More than 2,200 independent (K-12) schools rely on Blackbaud's integrated solutions including The Education Edge(TM) (for school administration), The Financial Edge(TM) (for financial management), and The Raiser's Edge(R) (for fundraising) to increase efficiency and communications across all offices. The recent addition of Online Campus Community will enable all members of a school community to stay informed, engaged, and involved in each student's and the school's success.

Online Campus Community enables schools to build stronger relationships with alumni, parents, students, teachers, and other supporters through an interactive network. Blackbaud's flexible Web site management solution helps schools:

• Enhance communication—and give students and parents direct access to the information they need
  
• Take advantage of interactive Web site management--through an easy-to-use content management system that will allow supporters to stay connected
  
• Get a complete view of constituents--to better target their direct marketing and solicitation strategies
• Create personalized Web content and electronic marketing--based on an individual's unique interests
• Achieve optimized Web sites--through consulting, design, and hosting services

"Blackbaud's design team helped us perform a complete overhaul of our Web site and we have really enjoyed working with them throughout the process," said Shana Stockton, director of external affairs for Charleston Day School. "We are now able to do so much more--fully integrate our database, accept online donations, provide visitor, parent, student, and alumni logins, and truly enhance our marketing and communication efforts."

In addition, new online tools and enhancements are available for the latest version of The Education Edge giving students, parents, and teachers the ability to communicate more effectively by:

• Letting students and parents enter course requests online
• Allowing teachers and administrators to send global emails and create global class notes for students and/or parents
• Enabling teachers to export their grade book contents to an Excel(R) file for each grading period and to see student photos as part of their records

"We are pleased to provide the solution that will help schools stay connected with their communities," said Marc Chardon, Blackbaud's chief executive officer. "By proactively building stronger relationships with their students and supporters, these institutions are creating a path for their continued growth and success."

For more information on Blackbaud's total school solution and Online Campus Community, please visit www.blackbaud.com/onlinecampuscommunity.

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Dallas-Area High School Students Landscape Parks, Build Homes Through ExxonMobil Green Team

For 25 years, hardworking groups of low to moderate-income high school students have chosen to spend their summer vacations beautifying Dallas parks, building houses and taking classes taught by college instructors.

Sponsored by ExxonMobil and managed by the City of Dallas, the ExxonMobil Green Team provides paid summer jobs and educational enrichment classes for 100 Dallas-area high school students. Seventy-six student participants worked for the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department landscaping and maintaining parks, athletic fields and recreation centers across Dallas. In addition, 24 Green Team students built two homes under the supervision of construction technology instructors from North Lake College, which were sold to qualified applicants.

Students began work on two homes on Chippewa Drive in West Dallas after the June 13th Opening Ceremony for the 2006 Green Team program. The program concluded today with a ribbon cutting for the new homes and an ice cream social. This year's celebration marks the 25th year of the ExxonMobil Green Team and the 27th home built in Dallas.

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