West U in the News

HISD Schools Earn Top Marks in Statewide Study Nov/Dec 2001

Seventy-four HISD schools received the top rating in a study of the nearly 5,400 schools in Texas conducted by the nonprofit education organization Just for the Kids, a partner with the University of Texas and the Education Commission of the States in the UT-based National Center for Educational Accountability.

The study, the subject of the cover story in the November issue of Texas Monthly magazine, assigns a "grade" of between one and five stars on the basis of students" proficiency in reading and math, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in a school, and a school's "opportunity gap," the difference between its TAAS scores and the average TAAS scores of the top Texas schools that have a similar or greater number of poor students.

The HISD elementary schools that were awarded the five-star rating were Anderson, Ashford, Askew, Atherton, Barrick, Benavídez, Berry, Bonner, Briargrove, Brock, Brookline, Bruce, Burbank, Burnet, Bush, Cage, Carillo, Chatham, Coop, Crespo, Crockett, Cunningham, Dávila, De Zavala, Easter, Gallegos, Garcia, Gregg, J. R. Harris, R. P. Harris, Helms, J. P. Henderson, N. Q. Henderson, Herod, Herrera, Hobby, Holden, Kolter, Lamar, Lewis, Lyons, Neff, Park Place, Peck, Pilgrim, Poe, Port Houston, T. H. Rogers, Will Rogers, Roosevelt, Rucker, Shearn, Stevenson, Sutton, Tijerina, Wesley, West University, Wharton, and White Elementary Schools and E. O. Smith Education Center.

The middle schools that earned the top rating were Burbank, Hartman, Jackson, Johnston, Lanier, Pershing, and T. H. Rogers Middle Schools and the Rice School.

The HISD high schools that received five stars were Austin, Lamar, Lee, and Milby High Schools, Middle College for Technical Careers, and the High School for Performing and Visual Arts.

In addition, HISD's Easter Elementary School and Lyons Elementary School were singled out for special praise in a "sidebar" article about five Texas schools that exceeded expectations. Just for the Kids will soon perform a similar analysis of schools in seven other states.

 Once again West University Elementary achieved Exemplary status.  In 1996, West U received a rating of Acceptable.  We raised that to Recognized in 1997 and became an Exemplary school in 2001, a rating we have maintained ever since.  This achievement and improvement over time is the result of a solid instructional program and quality teaching with a focus on excellence.  We will continue to provide an excellent education for your children as we work to again attain Exemplary for 2006.