District says list is unfair

Four Humble ISD schools were included on a list of the “worst schools in Texas” released by the Texas Education Agency Dec. 15.

North Belt, Park Lakes and Whispering Pines elementaries and Humble High School were listed on the report released by the state agency. All four are campuses where half or more of the student population failed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests. TAKS is the statewide test to measure competencies in a number of subject areas. The list, the 2010-2011 Public Education Grant List, shows all schools in Texas with 50 percent or less of the students passing any reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, or science TAKS test, were rated “academically unacceptable” in 2007, 2008 or 2009.

Humble ISD Superintendent Dr. Guy Sconzo defended the district’s placement on the list and explained contextual inaccuracies.

“I think it was the most ridiculous and totally unfair headline and article I’ve ever seen,” Sconzo said of a blog entry on Chron.com.

“Any campus that has been identified as ‘academically unacceptable’ in one of any of the past three years is on that TEA list. Hence, I see no reason for anyone to put any credence in the article. We actually have campuses on that list that were ‘academically recognized’ since Park Lakes’ rating for 2009 increased to ‘acceptable’ and Whispering Pines has progressed to ‘recognized,’” Sconzo explained. The 2009 ratings for North Belt Elementary and Humble High School were ‘unacceptable.’ Students at North Belt fell below the state standard in one of 25 scores, and therefore failed to meet state ratings. Humble High School failed to meet the standard due to a completion rate, rather than test scores. Results of the Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, which were released in August, indicate that the district as a whole has met the required federal criteria and was rated ‘acceptable.’

Established in 2001 under the No Child Left Behind Act, all public schools are evaluated for annual progress. Federal regulations are based on participation and passing rates on state math and English tests, high school graduation rates and attendance rates from elementary and middle schools.

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