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<< Texas Education News Back Issues
Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) Program: Year Three Evaluation Report The Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) program was state-funded and provided annual grants to schools to design and implement performance pay plans during the 2006-07 to 2009-10 school year. This report builds on the previous TEEG evaluation reports, presenting findings from three years of the TEEG program. Overall, the report discusses the participation decisions of eligible schools, the implementation experiences of TEEG participants, the manner in which performance pay plans were designed, and the program’s outcomes. Findings suggest that school and personnel characteristics, the criteria used to select schools into the TEEG program, and the plan design features of TEEG schools’ performance pay plans influenced many outcomes of interest. The attitudes and behaviors of school personnel, school environment, and teacher turnover were certainly affected by these factors. However, evidence suggests that there is no strong, systematic treatment effect of TEEG on student achievement gains. Nor are there consistent associations between TEEG plan design features and student achievement gains.
This report presents findings from the third-year evaluation of the Governor’s Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) program. The GEEG program was federally- and state-funded and provided three-year grants to schools to design and implement performance pay plans from the 2005-06 to 2007-08 school years. GEEG was implemented in 99 high poverty, high performing Texas public schools. This report builds on the previous GEEG evaluation reports, presenting findings from a three-year evaluation of the program. Overall, the report discusses the implementation experiences of GEEG program participants, paying close attention to the manner in which participating schools designed their performance pay plans, and program outcomes. Findings suggest that school and personnel characteristics and GEEG plan design features influenced many of the outcomes of interest for evaluating the GEEG program. The attitudes and behaviors of school personnel, school environment, and teacher turnover were certainly affected by these factors. However, there is limited evidence that GEEG had an effect on student achievement gains, and no evidence that GEEG plan design features influenced student achievement gains. Examination of GEEG’s impact on student achievement is limited by the criteria for selecting schools into the program, other state-funded performance pay programs operating concurrently with GEEG, and the likely volatility of student performance measures available to measure student performance outcomes. Full report: Pew Report: Texas Lawmakers Stand Out as Leaders for Investing in High-Quality Pre-K Texas' Legislature does the Right Thing for Kids and the State's Bottom Line Texas lawmakers approved the fourth largest dollar increase in the nation this year for pre-kindergarten funding -- $12.5 million -- according to a state-by-state analysis from Pre-K Now, a campaign of the Pew Center on the States. A bipartisan legislative effort to raise the program's quality standards was stopped only by a veto from the governor. "Focusing resources on helping our kids enter school ready to learn and succeed is the way to build a better, more prosperous future for us all," said Marci Young, project director of Pre-K Now. "The Texas legislature understands that high-quality pre-k is important to the vitality and economic growth of the state." The non-partisan annual report, <a href="http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Votes_Count_2009.pdf">"Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2010," </a> evaluates state budgets to determine which legislatures count voluntary, high-quality pre-k among their top education reform strategies. Using this information, Americans can determine whether their elected leaders are committing the resources necessary to develop the successful students and workers central to economic recovery. Even as they confronted large budget gaps of up to 35 percent, twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia chose to increase or hold steady funding for pre-k programs in the coming fiscal year. "Votes Count" also sheds light on one particular funding strategy for early education - the school funding formula. States that include pre-k in their school funding formula allocate per-child funding for 4 year olds based on enrollment, just as they do for K-12 schools. In Texas, the targeted Early Childhood and Pre-Kindergarten initiative is included in the state's school funding formula but suffers from inconsistent quality. State lawmakers moved to improve quality through bipartisan bills aimed to increase grant funding and institute important new quality standards. The governor kept the lawmakers' $25 million two-year increase for the grant program, but vetoed the quality-improvement provisions, which would have required higher standards for class size, child-adult ratios, and teacher qualifications. Research shows that these quality standards are necessary in early education programs to generate significant fiscal and educational benefits. Texas Named a Top 10 State for Afterschool Programs But Expert Says State Has “Long Way to Go” Afterschool Alliance Survey of Texas Household Finds Marked Increase in Afterschool Enrollment Since 2004, But Also Vast Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs Comparatively strong participation in afterschool programs by Texas youth, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents, has landed the state in the Afterschool Alliance’s newly named “Top 10 States for Afterschool” list. The ranking is based on data from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance. America After 3PM found that 15 percent of Texas schoolchildren are enrolled in afterschool programs, up from 10 percent in 2004. “Texas is ahead of the pack on afterschool, and can be proud of that,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “But the data also show another side of the story. The vast majority of Texas parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every Texas family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.” Although there has been a significant increase in the number of Texas children attending afterschool programs over the last five years, today 26 percent of the state’s schoolchildren are on their own in the afternoons, and another 15 percent are in the care of their brothers or sisters. In addition, the parents of 51 percent of children not already in afterschool say they would enroll their kids in a program if one were available. Ninety-one percent of Texas parents say they are satisfied with the afterschool program their child attends. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in providing afterschool for Texas kids and families,” said Tanya McDonald, Executive Director of the Dallas AfterSchool Network. “But we’ve clearly got our work cut out for us. Too many children who need afterschool programs don’t have them, and families are carrying a heavier burden as a result. That’s particularly difficult during these hard economic times. For afterschool programs to meet the huge unmet demand from families, they’re going to need more support from all sectors – from the business and philanthropic communities, as well as from the government at all levels.” “This research confirms what we see every day, that afterschool programs are reaching only a fraction of the children and families that need them – and the recession is making matters worse,” said Gail Vessels, Vice President of Program Development/Management for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “Afterschool programs make such a difference in children’s lives and futures. We simply must find a way to significantly expand the availability of afterschool programs.” McDonald and Vessels both serve as Afterschool Ambassadors with the Afterschool Alliance. The “Top 10 States for Afterschool” in the new report are: Hawaii, Arizona, New York, California, New Jersey, Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and North Carolina. In key respects, the Texas results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings: • The number and percentage of children participating in afterschool programs in the nation has increased significantly in the last five years, with 8.4 million children (15 percent) now participating. That compares with 6.5 million children in 2004 (11 percent). • But the number of children left alone after the school day ends also has risen, to 15.1 million children (26 percent of school-age children) in 2009. That is an increase of 800,000 children since 2004. Thirty percent of middle schoolers (3.7 million kids) are on their own, as are four percent of elementary school children (1.1 million children). • The parents of 18.5 million children (38 percent) not currently participating in an afterschool program would enroll their children in a program if one were available to them, a significant increase from the 15.3 million (30 percent) seen in 2004. • The vast majority of parents of children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the programs their children attend, and overall public support for afterschool programs is similarly strong. Nine in 10 parents (89 percent) are satisfied with the afterschool programs their children attend. Eight in 10 parents support public funding for afterschool programs. The America After 3PM report and accompanying data are available online at More Texas data is available at:
$21.8 Billion Distributed to Promote Educational Improvement - TEXAS Gets $2 Billion Formula grant programs are noncompetitive awards based on a predetermined formula and provide funding for a variety of programs, including resources to improve teacher quality, career and technical education, and support for children facing the challenges of living in poverty. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grant program supports children and students with disabilities from ages 3 to 21. The grants are being distributed through the following programs: Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to help students living in poverty. $10.8 billion. These so-called formula grant programs dispense funds to states on July 1 and Oct. 1 based on congressionally mandated formulas that, depending on the program, take into account such measures as population, poverty rates and enrollment. Formula grants originate from the Education Department's annual appropriation from Congress and are separate from the $100 billion in stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More information about the department's budget can be found here. TEXAS SHARE — Title I: $1.04 billion; IDEA-B: $736.16 million; Teacher Quality: $140.59 million; Career-Tech: $62.68 million; TOTAL: $1.98 billion. Succeeding with English Language Learners: Lessons: Learned from the Great City Schools School districts have been struggling with the challenges of teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) for decades. Yet few studies have examined strategies for districtwide instructional reform for ELLs. To address this need, The Council of the Great City Schools sought to explore the experiences of large, urban districts with differing levels of success in raising ELL student achievement to shed light on potential strategies for ELL reform. The four districts selected for the study were Dallas, New York City, San Francisco, and St. Paul. There are a number of clear parallels in the stories of districts that experienced gains in ELL achievement over the study period, as well as some striking contrasts with the experiences of districts that showed little improvement. These key themes and patterns can be grouped into three categories: 1) contextual features—the steps that improving districts took or events that occurred that helped set the stage for districtwide change, 2) promising practices—the shared characteristics of and strategies employed by improving districts, and 3) limiting factors—factors that seemed to inhibit quality instruction and support for ELLs in districts with less success in raising student achievement. Full report: Succeeding with English Language Learners: Lessons: Learned from the Great City Schools College Station ISD Located in Brazos County, approximately 90 miles equidistant from Houston and Austin, College Station ISD encompasses 103 square miles and approximately 91,000 individuals. The district serves the city of College Station, which is part of the larger College Station-Bryan metro area that serves as a regional hub for the predominately rural surrounding area. With its roughly 55,000 students, the large, flagship campus of the Texas A&M University System in College Station drives much of the local economy. Government, health care, and education are some of the area's largest non-agricultural employment sectors that historically provide stability to the local economy. Unemployment levels in the area are typically below those of the state and nation, and although rising in recent months, the metro area's August 2009 unemployment rate continued that trend at 6.4%. At $5.9 billion in fiscal 2010, tax base growth remains healthy, averaging annual gains of not quite 11% since fiscal 2005. Tax base gains have outpaced healthy enrollment increases of not quite 4% on average annually, resulting in a total of almost 9,600 students district-wide by the end of fiscal 2009. The district's financial position is a credit positive. Despite growth pressures, conservative financial management has generated substantial operating surpluses annually since fiscal 2004, and the district's very solid reserve levels have trended upward. The district continued to maintain strong reserve levels in fiscal 2008, reporting an unreserved general fund balance of slightly more than $34 million or 49% of spending. Liquidity also remained substantial at almost $36 million or roughly six months of cash on hand. District officials currently anticipate slightly better than budgeted results for fiscal 2009 with a modest operating deficit of about $1.1 million. Another modest operating deficit of $2.2 million is currently projected in the preliminary fiscal 2010 budget, primarily due to the additional operating costs associated with opening a new school. The district has no immediate plans to approach voters for additional M&O tax rate increases. Floresville ISD Benefiting from its proximity to the larger San Antonio metro area, the Floresville Independent School District's economic base is shifting away from a rural, agricultural area to that of a bedroom community. Area wealth levels remain somewhat below average, however. Growth trends in the district's enrollment and tax base resulted from the area's available land which spurred predominately residential development and subsequent population growth, particularly in the northern portion of the district. While the district has historically experienced solid levels of tax base growth, fiscal 2010 taxable assessed valuation (TAV) grew at a more modest pace of about 2% from the prior year, reaching nearly $850 million and reflecting a weakened housing market. As a result of area residential development, enrollment has grown on average at about 1% annually over the past five years, although somewhat erratically on an annual basis, bringing the district's total enrollment to its current 3,800 students in fiscal 2010. District finances remain healthy with a very solid reported unreserved general fund balance of almost $4.6 million or nearly 18% of spending in fiscal 2008. Fund balance levels in prior years mostly have been at this above-average level. District officials currently anticipate adding roughly $600,000 to reserves by fiscal 2009 year-end. The fiscal 2010 budget is balanced and includes the modest addition of staff with the opening of a new elementary school and further increases to reserves that are currently projected to bring the general fund balance to a total of at least $6 million. The 2009 issuance (not rated by Fitch) that finished the district's largest-ever $63 million authorization has further elevated debt levels, which have also increased with declining levels of state support for the district's debt service. Including overlapping debt, overall debt levels now approximate 9.8% of TAV or about $3,300 per capita. The debt service burden is above average at about 13% of spending in fiscal 2008. Much of the authorization was used for extensive expansion and renovations to the existing high school as well as a new elementary school in the northern portion; both of which district officials report are nearing completion. There are reportedly no near-term debt plans in place as district officials report that capital needs have been met for at least five or more years. Also, Fitch notes that the district's debt service tax rate is currently near the state's statutory test to issue new debt. Amortization of principal is slow with about 27% retired in 10 years. Mansfield ISD Encompassing approximately 166,000 individuals, the majority of the district lies in southeastern Tarrant County and includes portions of Arlington and Grand Prairie as well as the city of Mansfield (general obligation bonds rated 'AA-' by Fitch). Although reaching 7.8% in August 2009, Mansfield's unemployment rate remains fairly comparable to that of the county, metro, and state. Affordable land, new transportation routes, and location within the larger Fort Worth-Arlington area have spurred residential development, fueling rapid population growth. In light of such development, the district experienced high levels of enrollment growth with a total of almost 32,000 students in fiscal 2010. More recent enrollment gains reflect a slower pace, however, due in large part to the weakened housing market. While taxable assessed valuation (TAV) growth has historically outpaced student enrollment gains, it now mirrors a more moderate 4% rate of growth in fiscal 2010 at almost $9 billion. Most recently, the district has benefited from its geographic location over workable portions of the Barnett Shale, one of the largest natural gas fields in the U.S. Modest yet increasing gains in mineral values since fiscal 2007 have further diversified the tax base. Overall debt is high at approximately 8.6% of TAV or $4,600 on a per capita basis, even after factoring in state support for a portion of the district's existing debt service. Fitch notes that since 1999, management has proactively chosen to prepay a portion of its variable-rate debt annually; repayments total around $11 million of the $35 million originally issued. The debt service burden is above average at about 18% of spending in fiscal 2008. Amortization is below average with roughly 35% of principal retired in 10 years on a non-accreted basis. With moderating enrollment growth pressures and current capacity in existing facilities, scheduled completion of various schools has been pushed back from original estimates. Additionally, district officials report that plans for issuance of the remaining $52.5 million portion of the 2006 authorization will not occur until the summer of 2010 at the earliest. Leander ISD, Texas' Largely residential in nature, the district benefits from its location in the broad economic and employment base of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. Area wealth levels generally exceed those of the state and nation. While the district has historically experienced strong levels of tax base growth due to the availability of affordable land, fiscal 2010 taxable assessed valuation (TAV) grew at a much more modest pace of about 3% from the prior year, reflecting a weakened housing market. As a result of area residential development, enrollment that currently totals about 30,000 students grew very rapidly, increasing at an average annual pace of not quite 10% between fiscal years 2003 and 2008. With the economic slowdown, annual enrollment growth trends have recently slowed to nearly 7% over the past two years. Nonetheless, Fitch notes the potential for a return to higher levels of enrollment growth remains in light of revised demographic projections that project the district reaching a total of about 55,000 students by 2018. Finances are a positive credit factor. Over the past five fiscal years, the district consistently has recorded operating surpluses, and solid reserve levels enhance the district's financial flexibility. In addition, the district uses $0.03 of its O&M tax levy for major maintenance projects, which provides additional flexibility. At the close of fiscal 2008, the unreserved general fund balance totaled $61.7 million, which represented about 32% of spending and exceeded the district's optimum unreserved general fund balance target of 25% of expenditures. The district now anticipates closing fiscal 2009 with a modest $1.1 million drawdown from general fund reserves due to enrollment levels that were lower than originally projected. An operating deficit of $5 million is currently projected in the fiscal 2010 budget, primarily due to the additional operating costs associated with opening new schools and salary increases, but which may be mitigated in part by revenue gains from higher than budgeted enrollment. The district has no immediate plans to approach voters for additional M&O tax rate increases. Comal ISD Located approximately 20 miles north of San Antonio, the district serves a predominantly rural 585-square-mile area primarily in Comal County and extends to small portions of Kendall, Hays, Guadalupe, and Bexar counties. Enrollment is approaching 16,600, up about 3.5% from fiscal 2009, but growing at a slower clip than the the previous 6.5% annual growth rate over the prior five fiscal years. The district benefits from its proximity to San Antonio and Austin with roughly two-thirds of its working population commuting to these labor markets. Comal County's 6.3% unemployment rate for August 2009 compared favorably to the state and national rate. County wealth levels are higher than the state and national levels. Conservative budgeting practices and financial management have enabled the district to build and maintain large financial reserves. Over the last five audited fiscal years, the district posted positive operating results ranging from $2.7 million to $16.7 million, increasing general fund reserves to a solid $52 million, or 46% of expenditures at the close of fiscal 2008. This is a substantial increase from an already healthy $13 million, or 17% of spending reported in fiscal 2004. The district’s goal is to maintain reserves equivalent to three to four months of spending. For fiscal 2009 the district anticipates adding about $1 million to fund balance reserves, and budgeted balanced operations for fiscal 2010. Typical of fast growth school districts in Texas, direct and overall debt levels are high and principal amortization is slow. The current offering is the final installment of the $206 million bond package approved by 70% of district voters in May 2008. Proceeds will be used for renovations and additions to three existing middle schools and to pay issuance costs. Previous plans to seek additional voter approval during fiscal 2011 will be delayed by an estimated two to three years given the recent deceleration of enrollment growth. The district presently has no remaining authorization.
Located in largely rural Wise County, Bridgeport ISD encompasses about 146 square miles and has a population of about 12,000. Area wealth levels are below average. District enrollment, which now totals approximately 2,300 students, has remained relatively stable and has grown on average about 1% annually. Natural gas production from the Barnett Shale and other affiliated industries predominate the local economy. While historically below state and national rates, the county's unemployment rate has risen sharply throughout 2009 and at 9.9% in August 2009 has now shifted to exceed state and national rates, reflecting weaker overall economic conditions. Gains in the tax base typically have been very strong, averaging nearly 10% annually over the past five years, primarily due to expansion of activity in the Barnett Shale. However, fiscal 2010 taxable assessed valuation (TAV) grew at a more modest pace of about 5% from the prior year, reaching nearly $1.3 billion. Tax base and sector concentration has declined slightly but remains above-average at about 32% of TAV in fiscal 2010. The top two taxpayers, Wise County Power and Devon Gas Services, alone contribute a substantial 21%.
Debt levels are favorable. Including overlapping debt, overall debt levels approximate 2.7% of TAV or about $2,900 per capita. Debt levels are anticipated to remain moderate, even with the passage of a $22 million bond authorization scheduled for voter consideration in November 2009 that would fund the construction of new classrooms and technology needs. If approved by voters, the authorization is projected to meet the district's capital needs for the next 10-15 years at current enrollment growth levels. Amortization is good with nearly 57% of principal amortizing within ten years. Castleberry ISD Castleberry ISD is located in Tarrant County, including the northern portion of Fort Worth as well as the cities of Sansom Park and River Oak. The district encompasses eight square miles and is nearly fully developed, although re-development of the area has contributed to the approximately 7% average annual gain in TAV over the past five years. Enrollment had been essentially flat since the late 1990s. However, construction of several new subdivisions within the district in recent years has resulted in modest 2% annual gains over the last four years to a current enrollment level of about 3,600 students. Substantial unreserved general fund balances and positive operating results are significant credit strengths, allowing the district to maintain competitive teacher salaries and provide pay-as-you-go funding for a number of capital projects. For the close of fiscal 2008, audited results point to an overall general fund balance of about $16.1 million, representing 65% of operating expenditures and transfers out. The undesignated portion of the balance represented 31% of expenditures and transfers out, in excess of the district's own fund balance goal and the state's recommended level of three months of operations. State support for operations remains substantial, accounting for about 77% of general fund revenues. The district continues to fund a significant amount of capital needs from available revenues, spending over $3.4 million during fiscal 2008. For the close of fiscal 2009, officials are projecting a modest use of fund balance for capital projects. The fiscal 2010 budget is balanced. Eanes ISD Located west of Austin in Travis County, the 31-square-mile district encompasses the cities of West Lake Hills and Rollingwood and a small portion of Austin. As a result of its affluent tax base, the district has been categorized as a 'property rich' district and consequently has made substantial wealth equalization payments to the state since fiscal 1997. Recent payments have totaled $50.4 million in fiscal 2008 and $58 million in fiscal 2009; these payments represented 46% and 49% of total general fund outlays, respectively. The district has budgeted an equalization/recapture payment of $54.2 million for fiscal 2010, and anticipates that annual payments will exceed 50% of total general fund outlays over the near-term. Moreover, the district's operations tax rate is at the current statutory cap of $1.04 per $100 taxable assessed valuation (TAV), further limiting financial flexibility. District officials are considering seeking voter approval for additional operations tax levy authority, the first $0.02 of which would not be subject to recapture. Despite the recent pressures, the district's financial position remains sound. At fiscal 2008 year-end the general fund balance totaled $34.9 million, or a healthy 32% of expenditures and transfers out; operating results included net income of $1.6 million for the year. The fiscal 2008 totals represented the fourth consecutive year of positive results and addition to reserves. For fiscal 2009, district officials are anticipating a modest $1.4 million drawdown in operating reserves. The district's conservative management approach is evidenced by recent expenditure growth. From fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2008, general fund expenditures increased by an average of around 6% annually as the district navigated a period of modest enrollment growth, salary and benefit pressures, and ongoing equalization transfers. The fiscal 2010 budget includes a $4.6 million general fund balance drawdown, although the district budgets conservatively and actual results typically exceed budget projections. The fiscal 2010 budget also features a modest increase of less than 4% in general fund spending over the prior year budget, and an operations tax rate unchanged at $1.04 per $100 of TAV. Enrollment, which increased by roughly 250 students from fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2009, totals 7,485 for the current year (an increase of 132 students). The district's per capita debt is higher than that of most comparably rated Texas school districts, although it has declined over the past several years as TAV has increased. Direct debt presently is about $4,200 per capita and overall debt is $7,350 per capita. Conversely, debt as a percentage of taxable value is lower than most other 'AA' category districts' and reflects the high wealth levels in Eanes ISD. Direct debt as percentage of fiscal 2010 TAV is 1.3%, while overall debt is 2.2%.
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