EducationNews.org
Texas Insider Post: Houston TX - In 10 months Griers frankness wins some over - but not others. Houstons new school Superintendent Terry Grier didnt flinch as 750 teachers packed a meeting in February to protest a policy that puts their jobs at risk if student test scores dont rise enough.
Houston school district Superintendent Terry Grier says he cant sugarcoat some things such as the 70000 HISD students not reading at grade level.
The teachers booed as more than two dozen parents and business leaders voiced support for the hard-line approach. In the world of public education job security traditionally is a given.
At the time Grier had been leading HISD for six months and while the school board drove the policy he said he backed it 110 percent. Grier became the hero or the villain depending on whos telling the story.
I didnt hear me getting booed Grier joked with reporters after the board vote. In my job you get as old as I am … you do whats right for children. I dont expect everyone to agree with what I do or what the board advocates.
To Griers supporters his thick skin independence and kids-come-first mantra are proving a successful recipe for shaking up the status quo in Texas largest district.
But his rapid rollout of reforms in his first school year including ousting staff shutting down the regional offices removing razor-wire fencing around campuses and ordering schools to serve students breakfast at their classroom desks - has cut short the happy honeymoon with teachers principals and parents skeptical of hasty decisions.
Terrys first 10 months have shown him to be all about children and results said HISD board member Paula Harris. Through this process hes definitely ruffled the feathers of adults.
I have told Terry and other people have told him that were nice here in the south she said. We say things nice. And I dont think thats a skill he has or he cares to have.
Grier while more charismatic than his predecessor Abelardo Saavedra speaks bluntly about the problems he sees in the district. While most HISD schools arent failing under Texas rating system Grier a North Carolina native has focused
instead on the national Stanford test and on the dismal college graduation rates among HISD students. Grier like his teachers ultimately will be judged on whether his ideas improve those statistics.
How do you celebrate when 70000 kids (out of 200000) cannot read on grade level? Grier said. How do you sugarcoat that?
Such frank talk appeals to the business community. He isnt trying to succeed by setting the bar low said Larry Kellner the vice chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership and former chief executive of Continental Airlines.
Gestapo tactics
But Griers decision to close the powerful regional offices and his Apollo 20 school improvement plan - which forced 160 teachers and principals out of their jobs - have shaken morale.
Principals generally keep quiet during their monthly meetings with the superintendent though some have begun speaking out which Grier says he encourages.
State Sen. Mario Gallegos a Democrat who has blasted the new superintendent since day one said Grier rules with Gestapo tactics.
Principals are scared Furr High School Principal Bertie Simmons said before adding that the fear isnt all bad for the district. Weve been complacent for a long time and I think a little tension causes people to really be more productive.
Grier the first outsider to run HISD in 15 years has brought in consultants and auditors costing more than $386000 to help with facilities communications special education literacy curriculum and grant writing for magnet programs.
The 60-year-old Grier has stumbled some in assembling his new leadership team - with his new chief of high schools abruptly resigning this month - and the district has lost five principals to the popular charter school network KIPP which Grier himself has praised.
You always hate to lose good principals Grier said but some of the principals that left for KIPP had a track record of being successful principals and some did not.
Mary Nesbitt the vice president of Parents for Public Schools criticizes Griers strategy as fire aim ready. As examples she says the district is seeking a grant to fund new magnet programs without first evaluating its current ones. Grier also announced he wanted to sever ties with Community Education Partners but then backed down after the for-profit discipline program received a good external evaluation and had majority board support.
For many parents the jury is still out but we are increasingly cautious and concerned that changes are happening for change sake Nesbitt said.
Caronetta Jones a member of the Superintendents Parent Advisory Committee said she was frustrated after Grier missed two meetings but appreciated that he ordered his staff to prevent future scheduling conflicts.
He is very personable and I like that said Jones the president of HISDs Council of PTAs.
Course college credits
Perhaps Griers biggest triumph or at least the easiest to measure is his first effort to improve the graduation rate. His $4 million initiative to hire graduation coaches and to put mobile computer labs in most high schools - a feat his staff accomplished in only three months - has helped nearly 700 seniors recover 944 course credits.
In addition HISD officials estimate that students took as many as 5000 more Advanced Placement exams under Griers push to pay for all those
enrolled in the classes to sit for the test which can count for college credit.
State Rep. Harold Dutton upset over Griers investigation of former Key Middle School Principal Mable Caleb a popular leader in northeast Houston said HISD needs leaders who are more in touch with local communities. He is considering reintroducing a bill that would split HISD into four subdistricts with their own superintendents.
Dutton did however offer a hint of praise for Grier noting that he has been more open than Saavedra to communicating. Dr. Grier at least gave me his cell phone number he said.
