Austin Influential Texas business civil rights public policy and education groups including the Texas Association of Business (TAB) the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce (GACC) the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC) Mothers Against Discriminatory Racism in Education and Society (MADRES) and the University Leadership Initiative came together today to call upon the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to take meaningful steps to identify and address the dropout rate and public education accountability system in Texas.
The coalition announced a set of education opportunities for improvement within the current accountability framework:
- Develop a simplified accurate calculation of the Texas public school dropout rate
- Improve standards on minimum skills tests used in current model which currently awards Academically Acceptable" ratings to campuses that pass only fifty percent of students in science subject areas
- Include the academic performance of English Language Learner (ELL) students on English language proficiency tests and state standardized tests and other measures in the state accountability system
- Continue to include dropout rate when assessing accountability ratings
- Raise awareness that a recent academic evaluation shift to a growth model for academic evaluation that measures student progress based on projected future success will cause an inflated spike in accountability ratings
I am honored to stand with some of the most influential policy civil rights and education organizations in Texas that recognize the transformative power of education" said TAB President Bill Hammond.
Tomorrow TEA Commissioner Robert Scott will release the accountability ratings and I am delighted that the dropout rate will be included in the assessments. TEA deserves credit for including the dropout rate but anyone familiar with the calculation knows their dropout rate statistics are not accurate. We must create a more transparent system if we are to move forward in developing a world-class public education system for our children" said Hammond
The failure to include English Language Learner students in the accountability system creates an unnecessary caste system in our Texas public schools" said MALDEF Legislative Staff Attorney Luis Figueroa. If ELL students are to have any hope for a better education TEA cannot continue to mask their failure particularly the secondary students."
The LULAC District Office (District VII) supports these goals to address the unacceptable levels of high school dropout rates especially among Hispanic students that we have endured for too many years too many decades" said Angel Abitua LULAC District Director.
The Hispanic community that we serve in the Greater Austin area needs to be informed through a simplified accurate calculation of the true picture of the dropout rate. With true and accurate accounting then and only then we can determine and promote strategies to help address this problem and help our community overcome the severe disadvantages that plague our younger generations" Abitua said
Academic progress should certainly be included in any accountability model" said Frances Deviney Texas KIDS COUNT Director at the CPPP. But to use it to inflate the TAKS passage rates does a disservice to the students and the schools by masking the true number of kids still struggling to meet the states academic standards and hiding the need for additional efforts and supports.
The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is intently focused on the livelihood and prosperity of the Hispanic community" said Ramiro Cavazos President of the SAHCC.
Education is the surest means to building a competitive workforce and we are asking the TEA to give Texans a clear and accurate picture of how our youth are faring in our public schools concluded Cavazos.
Founded in 1922 the Texas Association of Business is a broad-based bipartisan organization representing more than 3000 small and large Texas employers and 200 local chambers of commerce. Discover TAB online by visiting
www.txbiz.org.
Founded in 1968 MALDEF the nations leading Latino legal organization promotes and protects the rights of Latinos through litigation advocacy community education and outreach leadership development and higher education scholarships. For more information on MALDEF please visit:
www.maldef.org.
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition educational attainment political influence health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.
The Center for Public Policy Priorities is a nonpartisan nonprofit policy institute committed to improving public policies to better the economic and social conditions of low- and moderate-income Texans. To learn more visit:
www.cppp.org.
The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce is a private non-profit membership-driven organization comprised of 2500 business enterprises civic organizations education institutions and individuals. Its mission is to provide leadership that will help create regional economic prosperity and success for its members in Central Texas.
The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is the oldest organization of its type in the United States. The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is San Antonios resource and advocate for Hispanic businesses Hispanics in business and provides premiere access to the Hispanic market.
University Leadership Initiative is committed to the success of all Texas students. Specifically ULI harnesses the talents abilities and determination of youth particularly high school and college immigrant students to affect long-term change in a proactive manner.
