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Following are questions and answers taken
from RISD Parent Advisory Committee Meetings.
FAQ 2003-2004 Archives | FAQ 2005-2006 Archives
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Richardson ISD Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
The following questions were answered at the November 30, 2004, PAC meeting.
Scholarships for student trips
1. What are the guidelines for scholarships for student trips? If the student trip occurs as a component of the academic program, district funds are generally utilized. The funding of student trips occurring outside of the academic day fall within the realm of the club or entity that supports the reason for the trip.
For example, the majority of such trips are associated with fine arts, and usually have booster clubs to provide financial support. Each booster club is a separate entity and sets their own guidelines, mainly dependant on the level of monetary support available. Committees usually make the decisions in each club, and the directors should only serve in an advisory role.
Overcrowding in junior highs
2. Is the district actively attempting to equalize the student populations at the junior high schools, especially in light of Freshmen Programming, and ease the overcrowding in the Lake Highlands area junior highs?
Every junior high facility will be under maximum capacity when ninth-graders move to the high school campuses next year. The current enrollment numbers for Forest Meadow and Lake Highlands Junior High are 700 to 800 students, while those facilities both have a capacity of significantly higher.
For example, several years ago, Forest Meadow housed more than 1,400 students.
Efforts continue to be made to approximately balance the enrollments at junior highs within the various areas of the district, however, many factors affect those enrollment numbers and some factors affecting Lake Highlands-area schools are often different than factors affecting junior highs in other parts of the district.
Piano in band
3. Why can pianos not be added to our bands, and why is music credit not extended for students who play piano?
The district’s music program has traditionally and philosophically been designed for those instruments that are a regular part of a school’s ensemble, and which have a “single voice” such that when combined, contribute to a group ensemble experience.
Traditionally, piano has not been one of those instruments, with the exception being as part of a jazz ensemble. Students who play piano in jazz ensembles do receive credit for their musical participation.
Racial/ethnic options on enrollment form
4. The annual enrollment form allows only one choice to be selected from five racial/ethnic options. This prevents biracial individuals as well as nationalities not listed on the form from recognizing/reporting their true ethnic make-up. How can children whose parents are of different racial backgrounds identify themselves within their school environment?
These choices are dictated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through the PEIMS data reporting system to which all school districts are required to adhere.
RISD has no authority to change the options on the form, and currently, if more than one box is checked, the district must choose only one.
Access to class lists
5. Our PTA begins fundraisers, membership drives and compilation of our school directory very early in the school year. Due to privacy issues, the school is not allowed to give us class lists. This makes the process very difficult and excludes some students. Why is the PTA not allowed access to these lists? Was this ruling made at the district level? Who would be the appropriate entity to contact about getting class lists for these limited purposes?
On the back of each student enrollment form is the Release of Student Directory Information Election option, which parents or guardians complete annually on behalf of their students. This is required by the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
FERPA was established to ensure that information about individuals is not disclosed to unauthorized sources without consent.
Accordingly, RISD requires anyone seeking student information, whether outside of the district or a district affiliate such as PTA or booster clubs, to submit your request for such information to the Records Management Office. In this way, the district can ensure that the privacy election for each student is enacted.
Student information requests can be made to Janet Williamson in the Records Office at 469-593-0361. There is a fee of less than $10.00 for processing student directory information requests.
Campus Space & Overcrowding
6. What is the district doing to avoid overcrowding and/or trying to put too many classes/programs on a campus? With the proposed Town Center development in Lake Highlands, and apartment complexes targeted for closure, what will be the estimated impact to White Rock’s enrollment, and how would that affect overflow? How will the opening of Ferris Branch Elementary impact White Rock Elementary’s enrollment? What are the attendance boundaries for Ferris Branch?
The district examines space available at each facility before decisions are made to introduce new programs that require accommodations. In some instances, existing programs or classes may incur a change of schedule or change of rooms. In this specific area of Lake Highlands, space and program needs will be alleviated by the opening of Thurgood Marshall Elementary for the 2005-06 school year.
While the details of the development plan are tentative, the approximate estimated impact on WRE’s enrollment is a reduction of 160 students. This, and the opening of Marshall Elementary, will additionally affect WRE, as students that are currently overflowed away from their home schools would be given an opportunity to return as space becomes available.
The attendance boundaries of Marshall Elementary will be voted on by the Board of Trustees in early 2005.
School consolidations
7. Are there currently any plans to consolidate some of the underutilized elementary schools and if so, when?
There are no current plans to consolidate any additional facilities for the 2005-06 school year. With the repurposing plan already passed by the board and the long-planned move of ninth-graders to high school campuses under the Freshmen Programming initiative, the superintendent feels that is enough change for students, parents and staff to grow accustomed to at a given time.
Next year, the district and the board will assess the ongoing budget situation at that time and examine appropriate alternatives as needed, which may include additional facility repurposing or consolidation.
Buses
8. Why aren’t there any buses that pick up from Richland Village/Richland Trace and Regal Springs?
That location falls within the two mile radius from school, and bus routes to school from that location are therefore not eligible for state reimbursement. An afternoon route was added several years ago to return students residing at that location home after school, but the district is paying directly for that route, and cannot afford a morning route as well.
International Baccalaureate Program
9. Are there any plans to introduce the International Baccalaureate Program in RISD schools?
This program used to be offered at Richardson High School and was discontinued in favor of pre-Advanced Placement and AP opportunities.
There are several reasons it was discontinued:
- Because the teachers involved in the program require specialized training, the cost of maintaining the program was extremely expensive.
- The program requires an extensive level of rigor over an extended period of time. The rigor generally precludes students from participating in any other extracurricular opportunities, and that affected the program’s popularity.
- Because of the rigor and time commitment involved, in its 10 years of existence, no RHS student ever graduated with an IB diploma. Students would begin the program but discontinue it before all requirements were satisfied.
RISD is examining the possibility of reintroducing the IB program in some capacity if a cost-effective method of doing so can be found. As part of this, the district is studying the implementation and effectiveness of this program in other districts.
Permission slips for field trips
10. Are permission slips required for every trip that the students take away form their campus?
Yes, in every instance, a permission slip is required. When instances where this procedure has not been followed are discovered, steps are taken to educate all staff members involved to ensure the policy is followed in the future.
Evacuation policies
11. In light of the recent terrorism acts in Russia and other events of the last few years in the USA, please define what the district’s evacuation policies are and what precautions and procedures we have in place for our children?
Each school has a specific safety and security plan that is reviewed annually. It contains the details of how to react when a crisis situation occurs or appears imminent, including lockdown and evacuation procedures.
That plan contains information specific to that campus regarding evacuation procedures, parent pickup points and other information germane to that campus.
Each classroom in every school contains a step-by-step crisis “flip chart” that staff can refer to as needed.
The district also works annually with the Richardson and Dallas police and fire departments to review crisis procedures and the overall student safety plan.
In addition, for safety and security reasons, RISD provides each teacher with a cellular telephone.
Library class time
12. What is the district’s policy regarding Library classes? Why do some schools have a scheduled library class for each grade level, but others don’t?
RISD’s policy is that all library time be flexibly scheduled, and able to shift as needed to accommodate student research. Typically, grades K-1, and sometimes grade 2, are scheduled for story time and book checkout on a regular basis, with grades 2-6 scheduled regularly, but not always consistently, as needed.
At any given school, you should be able to examine the library schedule and see all classes in all grade levels coming to the library for a variety of needs at various times, with information-literacy instruction, project-based learning, reading promotion, story time, and book checkout being the primary functions.
In addition, teachers should feel comfortable sending small groups of students to the library during the day for either book checkout or research activities.
Transfer from low performing school
13. Under Section 29.202 of the Texas Education Code, students assigned to a campus which has been rated as “low-performing” during any of the preceding three years are eligible to attend a different school in the district. What is the specific procedure for applying to attend a different school under this provision of state law?
Both state and federal law provide provisions similar to what the question is describing.
Under federal No Child Left Behind legislation, a Title 1 school that does not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years will trigger a provision that allows parents to transfer from that school if desired. RISD has not had any schools fall under this provision.
Under the state assessment and performance legislation, if a school has been designated “low performing” for one year, then parents with students attending that school may elect to request a transfer from that school for the following three years. Parents may not choose the destination school when requesting a transfer under this provision.
Like all other transfer requests, the transfer requests described above can be initiated at the student’s home school.
Physical Education
14. Why is physical education offered only two days a week for 45 minutes each? This, combined with only one twenty-minute break for recess per day seems inadequate for an elementary age child during a seven-hour school day.
State of Texas Senate Bill 19, which became effective in 2003, stipulates that elementary students must receive 135 minutes per week of physical education. This is achieved by two sessions of 45-minute instruction by a certified physical education teacher.
The remaining 45 minutes per week of structured activity is provided by campus staff in a variety of ways. There is no specific requirement regarding how that additional 45 minutes per week be utilized, but the RISD practice has been to provide students physical activity before or after lunch, a structured recess, and/or activity time in the classroom.
Overflow students
15. Why do Big Springs Elementary’s overflow numbers keep getting higher and other schools such as Canyon Creek and Prairie Creek remain under capacity? Why aren’t some of the overflow students routed to the smaller schools, and why wasn’t Prairie Creek involved in the recent re-purposing plan since their numbers are so small?
One of the primary goals of RISD’s overflow policy is to keep students as close to home as possible, so the district assigns overflow students to the closest school to their home school that is not at full capacity. So the explanation of why some schools receive more or less overflow students in a given time period is a reflection of where within RISD the population is growing, and therefore, where the overflow students are coming from.
While the overall student population of RISD is down less than one percent this year, there are areas within the district that continue to experience significant growth, and one of those areas is the east side.
The opening of Thurgood Marshall Elementary in 2005-06 is expected to alleviate the amount of overflow occurring on the east side of the district.
To provide historical perspective, the number of overflow students assigned to Big Springs over the last five years is as follows:
1999-2001: 6 2001-02: 3 2002-03: 4 2003-04: 3 10/29/04: 25
District recycling programs
16. Does RISD have a districtwide recycling program or are recycling programs administered at each school? If districtwide, how does each school manage their participation?
The recycling program has existed within RISD for several years and is managed at the campus level. Room-sized and commercial-sized recycling containers exist on every campus, and education/awareness of the proper use of those containers takes place at the campus. Schools are able to receive some additional funds based on the amount of materials recycled.
Volunteer background check
17. What can the district do to streamline the background check process for school volunteers? How do our school office staff check and are they responsible to check? Could the district provide each cleared parent with the documentation that could be shown at the office before going into the building?
The district must balance student and staff safety with volunteer convenience. Currently, volunteers are required to fill out a single, one-page form, from which a confidential background check is conducted by a firm in that field.
Once a volunteer is approved, his/her name is added to the volunteer list, which is available to all principals. Volunteers are then are sent a confirmation postcard via U.S. mail, which may serve as documentation of approval. Like every building visitor, that volunteer must sign in and out when arriving/departing a campus, which allows their name to be verified as on the list of eligible volunteers.
After school programs
18. Why don’t we have after school programs that are free to the students?
The district cannot afford to offer widespread after-school programs at no cost.
TAKS and TEKS
19. What is, or who has, accountability for the quality of the TAKS and TEKS? Are they measured and what data is used to support the grade level appropriateness of TEKS?
Both the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum, and its corresponding Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), were designed and maintained by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) with input from state and national education experts. Questions continue to be reviewed and field tested before being widely circulated. RISD has no authority to alter TEKS or TAKS in any capacity.
Questions for October 26, 2004
1) There was talk of redrawing attendance lines for Forest Meadow due to overcrowding. Is there a plan? If so, when?
Attendance boundaries were actually changed last year when Audelia Creek Elementary opened. Their sixth graders fed into Richardson Junior High this year and will attend Liberty Junior High in fall 2005. There are possibilities of additional changes as the new Lake Highlands area elementary school on Ferris Branch is opened and the area junior high enrollments have declined slightly.
2) Students who are currently 8th graders have not been informed of programming changes for next year when they move into the ninth grade in the high schools. When will this take place?
Freshman Programming plans have been in the works since 2001, and information concerning specific opportunities for classes are being put together now. Student should receive information before January so they can make choices for their high school careers. More information will be forthcoming.
3) Why are school nurses pulled out so much? Even part-time nurses are not at their schools every day that they are assigned. The district has been able to add several school nurses over the last few years, but in the smaller schools, our budget dictates that we cannot yet hire fulltime nurses. All new nurses are required to have 10 days working in other schools with a colleague to be certified in vision/hearing screenings, and so must they must complete that training. In addition, they then work with other new nurses. The district employs only certified Registered Nurses, so their pay is more than a nurse’s aide, therefore hiring impacts the budget where we are currently trying to cut $8 million.
4) Can Meet the Teacher Night be changed so it does not interfere with the volleyball schedule? The district will look at rescheduling the volleyball games that week to perhaps a Wednesday night, therefore affecting less people than would be affected by changing a districtwide Meet the Teacher Night. The possibility will be evaluated with the principals.
5) RISD seems to be one of a few districts not offering ROTC. What would it take to make it available in the district? This question comes up every so often and the district is actually looking at ROTC, but would need a large facility for the program. Vocational program expansion is also being reviewed as the district strives to fund programs that are meaningful for all of our student body.
6) What are the criteria for transferring from one school to another? How are these decisions made? Student Transfer Request forms are available at each school and contain information on the process and procedures for requesting intradistrict transfers consistent with state and local guidelines. Transfer requests are considered on an individual basis and transportation is not provided by the district. Receiving schools must have adequate space in that particular grade.
7) What is the policy with restricted diets and how is this handled at school-sponsored functions including class parties? The state has guidelines on foods that are acceptable during the instructional day, however during school parties, exceptions are made. The parents of children on restricted diets should confer with their principal regarding class and school-wide celebrations.
8) How can a parent have RISD school menus re-evaluated and petition for a menu change to better reflect nutritious choices?
The Child Nutrition Department within the district works hard to provide nutritional choices every day. Care is given to look at the total fat, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A & C content, making certain that items are the healthiest possible.Corn dogs are made from chicken, and tacos are made with turkey meat. Vegetarian items are available every day and only quality name-brand products are purchased for our cafeterias. More information can be found at www.agr.state.tx.us. Parents are invited to have lunch with their child to sample the delicious variety of foods available. Please contact the school so you can be put into the ‘count.’
9) Is there any thought to implementing uniforms in RISD? Uniform choice is left to Local School Councils at each school. Currently, 12 RISD schools have optional uniforms. Dress codes at other schools meet the district’s established guidelines for not disrupting the instructional day.
10) Is the district considering physical education every day at the elementary level? It is a good way to combat childhood obesity. The district offers 135 minutes per week for physical education at the elementary level, in accordance with the Texas Education Code. This equates to two 45-minute periods a week with a certified PE teacher and at least 45 minutes with a teacher or administrator. Physical movement is encouraged after lunch and/or at recess.
11) What is the district policy regarding standards by which booster clubs provide scholarships for students for private lessons? Each booster club is a separate entity and sets their own guidelines, mainly dependant on the level of monetary support available. Committees usually make the decisions in each club.
12) What types of programs are available to teach students, teachers and parents about bullying? Student Assistant Program staff are constantly supplying counselors and principals with materials to combat destructive behavior. Recent additions include “The Bully-Free Classroom,” “Please Don’t Laugh at Me,” and “Here’s Looking at You,” a kit of information on social skills and negotiation skills. In addition, a video resource library on the subject is available. STOP teams, (Students Teaching Others Peace), are being formed in several schools. Parents are encouraged to look at these books and programs and to discuss any problems they might be aware of with the school counselor and/or principal. The Student Assistance Programs staff is available to present staff development on bullying for schools and parents.
13) How will girls’ athletics, sports and cheerleading be handled compared to what is happening now in 9th grade at the junior high level? Very carefully! The district plans include the same number of sports teams for freshmen that there are for ninth graders now, but no additional teams will be formed. Freshmen will be eligible to join ninth-grade teams, junior varsity and varsity teams. Cheerleading participation has not yet been decided, but is being discussed, as is participation on drill teams, etc.
14) Why is the amount of homework different at different schools?
The district guidelines are followed at each school, dependent upon grade-level and teacher prerogative to ensure comprehension of essential knowledge and skills. Some classes will naturally include more homework at different times of the year, and it is expected that teachers are sensitive to workloads in all subjects.
Questions for April 22, 2004
1) Does RISD plan to strengthen its writing and grammar instruction to
better prepare students for the new writing and grammar section on
the 2005 SAT? Will English teachers be given the appropriate class
load to have time to grade papers and will other teachers such as history
teachers be trained to grade writing assignments?
Writing scores from the current PSAT are used to identify strengths and
weaknesses in the instructional program. In addition, to address the
SAT requirements specifically, RISD teachers attended the College Board
writing and grammar training seminars. They will then share that training
with other district English teachers in summer and fall staff development.
The Language Arts Department is, as always, deeply involved in strengthening
the writing program, including grammar instruction. This is accomplished
through required staff development such as the Six Traits of Effective
Writing and the three week New Jersey Writing Institute which we will
be offering in the summer of 2004. Additionally, training will be offered
to teachers from each building in a five-day New Jersey Writing seminar
(includes grammar) next fall.
Teachers in all content areas are encouraged to include appropriate
writing assignments in their instructional programs. All curriculum directors
emphasize the importance of writing in the content area and include appropriate
training in grading through staff development sessions.
2) What is the rationale behind the five-days-per-week band instruction
next year?
The District is addressing this issue in accordance with Freshman Programming
to be implemented in 2005-06, in the same way it was addressed by the
District with the opening of the Lake Highlands Freshman Center in 1998-99.
Sixth grade Band and Orchestra is currently taught five days a week in
each elementary school in the Lake Highlands Area as has been done for
the past five years. Lake Highlands Junior High and Forest Meadow Junior
High compete in the University Interscholastic League (U.I.L.) Middle-School
Classifications.
In 2005-06, the Berkner, Pearce and Richardson Attendance Areas will
be moving to Freshman Programming. At that time, seventh and eighth graders
will comprise the junior high whose performing ensembles must now participate
in a U.I.L. Middle School Competitive Classification.
The crucial difference between Richardson
and other Metroplex area “middle
schools” (6th, 7th, and 8th grade campuses) in Plano, Garland,
Carrollton, Lewisville, etc. is that they meet their sixth-grade students
every day, five days per week, for approximately 50 minutes per day for
a total of 250 minutes per week. With the exception of the Lake Highlands
Area, we currently meet our sixth-grade students approximately 45 minutes
per day, twice a week, for a total of 90 minutes a week. Our neighbors
and competitors also frequently meet their students in like-instrument
classes throughout the day (flute, clarinet, trumpet, etc.), so that
students receive more individual attention and there are limited common
instructional performance skills and solutions that need to be addressed
in each class. These are schools we will compete against in local and
statewide competitions.
Without significant instructional intervention in 2004-2005, the year
prior to Freshman Programming, sixth- and seventh-grade students will
be ill-prepared for their junior high instrumental academic and performance
expectations in 2005-2006. These students would not have had the necessary
consistent instructional preparation or any prior participation in a
performing ensemble. This consistent instruction is critical for the
success of these sixth-grade students in preparation for meeting rigorous
secondary-level academic courses in music and (U.I.L.) performance expectations
in junior high and high school.
With the implementation of Freshman Programming, each elementary school
band and orchestra program must revise their instrumental priorities.
No longer will it be sufficient to just introduce students to their instrument
and basic skills. The goal now must be to prepare sixth grade instrumental
students with the necessary skills, techniques and understanding to meet
advanced academic expectations and to prepare music students for participation
in a seventh- and eighth-grade performing ensemble.
3) What is RISD doing to ensure that the needs of gifted students are
being met, especially in junior high, when REACH is no longer offered
and pre-AP classes are crowded and not selective?
RISD serves its gifted secondary students through the PreAP and AP classes
in the various content areas. Teachers in these classes are required
to have College Board training in the subject area and also training
in gifted strategies. Within the scope of the curriculum for PreAP and
AP classes, there is also differentiation. The suggested College Board
outline is used for these courses, and all teachers in RISD are encouraged
to include differentiation strategies in lessons to meet the needs of
all students. RISD’s philosophy is that by allowing students to
choose specific subject areas of interest or strength, the needs of gifted
students are able to be met.
4) How will the transfer of ninth-graders to the high schools affect
the junior highs? Specifically, will there be changes in attendance
areas and will any junior high campuses close?
The district is closely
examining these issues. District personnel have been meeting with the
junior high principals
for more than a year and
a half, and are looking for opportunities to provide the best possible
transition to secondary – including examining many middle school
strategies (teaming/more effective use of time). In addition, some of
our campus and central administrators have been receiving information
and strategies through state and national conferences, and the district
continues to plan for the transition.
At this time, the district does not intend to change any attendance
areas, and no closure decisions have been made. It will ultimately be
a board decision and may depend on whether RISD receives funding relief
from the legislature.
5) Class sizes are too large. Will class sizes be smaller in the RISD
next year?
RISD has followed the state mandate of 22:1 in grades K - 4 for the
last six years. There is no state mandate for grades five and higher.
RISD staffs 5th and 6th grades at 28:1. Seventh grade and up is staffed
at 30:1 except for science, which is staffed at 28:1 due to lab space.
The staffing ratios mentioned above are followed closely in every school
in the district in order to provide equitable staffing districtwide.
The district empathizes with parental concerns as their student moves
from 4th to 5th grades. Campus principals are the best resource to assist
parents and students in making the transition to the larger class sizes.
Average class sizes in the RISD elementary schools in the spring semester
of the 2003-2004 school year are as follows:
Pre-K 20
K 17
1 19
2 19
3 18
4 19
5 23
6 23
There are no plans to change RISD staffing standards for the 2004-2005
school year.
6) Is there a limit to how much money a PTA can contribute to a school?
Are there limits on what a PTA spends it money on? To be more specific,
can a PTA fund a librarian, a science lab assistant, or a gym teacher
position?
There is no limit to how much money a PTA can contribute to a school.
Indeed, RISD PTAs have generously supported RISD schools over the years.
For the most part, the District does not limit what PTAs spend their
dollars on. There are guidelines for PTAs from the state and national
PTA.
RISD does limit PTA spending in the area of personnel. We ask that PTAs
only fund staff members to provide enrichment, not core curriculum. Examples
of enrichment could be Spanish at the elementary level, or after-school
activities such as drama or guitar or piano lessons.
The District will not approve PTA funding
for staff that is allocated to every school – such as librarians,
reading teachers, or PE teachers.
There are two reasons for this:
- Certified teaching staff must have contracts per the Texas Education
Code. A PTA might be able to fund such an employee for one year,
but not the next, and the District could then end up with a contracted
employee with no place for them.
- RISD believes that the basic staff in schools should be allocated
through HR based on staffing standards. This way, staffing is equitable
districtwide. The staffing standards used by the District are carefully
developed to ensure adequate support for all students in each school.
Equitability is the key concept. RISD has some school PTAs that are
able to raise large sums of money and some that are not able to do
so.
7) Does the School Board and/or the Superintendent
set the policy regarding “transfers” for
the District as a whole or does each Area Assistant Superintendent set
their “transfer” policy for their particular area? Do you
anticipate any change with a new superintendent in how transfers will
be handled vs. how they have been handled in the past?
All RISD Area Assistant Superintendents follow the same policy regarding
transfer requests, and that policy is set forth by the school board and
supplemented with administrative guidelines. Part of that policy allows
for each transfer to be considered individually.
No changes are anticipated in the transfer policies. Several factors
affect decisions regarding transfer requests, and those factors change
from year to year, and sometimes within a school year. Enrollment patterns
and school populations are two of the most significant factors in any
transfer decision.
8) At a recent school board meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Finance
Tony Harkleroad indicated that a large sum of money (approximately
$18,000) had been received from Special Olympics. How does the RISD
spend the money they get from Special Olympics? Specifically, what
did this amount go towards?
Texas Special Olympics gives the Richardson Special Olympics delegation
a sum of money each year which is divided among the Special Olympics
sports. This money resides in an activity fund that is maintained within
the District by the Special Education Department.
Eamon Kennedy, RISD’s adaptive physical education teacher, is
RISD’s Special Olympics coordinator. He provides this service to
RISD families of Special Olympians on a volunteer basis. Mr. Kennedy
and a group of Special Olympic parents determine how to spend the dollars
that are not earmarked for registration fees, travel and lodging for
students and chaperones/coaches, meals, and bus transportation. Purchases
depend on the sport in which the Olympian participates. Given the mandatory
expenses listed above, there is rarely much money to spend on “extras.” When
there is extra money, it is generally spent on uniforms and equipment,
on a rotating basis.
RISD contributes money each year and donations also come in from parents
and other patrons of the District. In some instances, a community patron
or business may contribute money, equipment or uniforms to the RISD Special
Olympics program, and this practice occurs in other districts as well,
at varying levels.
For general information, Special Olympics sports are open to school-aged
students with disabilities as well as adults with disabilities. Richardson
has a large delegation of athletes and has hosted the regional games
a number of times.
9) When a student chooses to leave the RISD magnet system by selecting
to go to their home high school after Junior High, what system does RISD
have in place to ensure that their records are transferred to the school
over the summer, that they are provided a locker, and computer access
codes and that any summer reading requirements are relayed to the student?
Similarly, if a student leaves a Junior High and has participated in
a foreign language that is not offered at the home school, what provisions
can be made to allow the student to complete the second half of the foreign
language requirement?
Counselors usually hand-carry records to the new school, and they are
turned over to the receiving counseling staff.
The remainder of the procedure is impacted
by the timing of the student’s
decision. If the decision is made before the summer, the student should
be handled just as any other incoming student in the high school. If
the decision is made after summer has begun, the parent should work directly
with the appropriate former and new counselors to assure that everything
is set to go for the new school year.
10) The school Web sites still have the TAAS scores, ethnic breakdown,
teacher experience, etc. for 2001 and it is 2004! Why haven't the school
websites been updated since 2001?
The school sites have been updated to reflect demographic data from
the 2002-03 year, and TAKS scores from 2003.
School Web sites will reflect demographic information as it becomes
available, but will generally contain data from the previously-completed
school year. This data becomes available after the next school year has
started, so often the data will appear to be more than a calendar-year-old.
In the example cited in the question, it would not be out of the ordinary
for 2001-02 data to be reflected during part of the 2003-04 school year,
until the 2002-03 data became available.
11) What is the district’s position/policy on “completion” grades
for homework, especially for high school students? Many teachers at the
junior high and high school level seem to use what students call “completion
grades,” meaning a grade is given for merely completing homework,
as opposed to an actual score which reflects percentage right or wrong.
While this benefits a student who got many of the answers wrong, it does
not seem fair to the student who made the effort to do the work, and
deserves a higher grade for more correct answers; particularly in the
later years when class rank begins to matter. The students feel this
is to save the teacher time. At a time when accountability for student
learning is at an all time high, it seems to be counterproductive.
RISD has specific guidelines regarding homework; however, the purpose
of each homework assignment is left to the judgment of the teacher. The
District encourages teachers to identify the purpose of each homework
assignment so that students understand the reason for each assignment.
RISD encourages teachers to vary assignments such as:
· Practice to master skills.
· Preparation for future lessons.
· Extension to require students to use a new skill or concept in a new
situation or complex. For example: a comparison/contrast project.
· Creative to integrate many skills and concepts. For example: a report
or a project.
Because we value our teachers’ expertise and creativity in applying
the District’s guideline and policies, it would be appropriate
to assign some completion grades for various purposes of homework assignments.
If a parent has a concern about grading in a particular class, the principal
and the teachers on each campus have collaborated to develop campus Homework
Guidelines. In addition, each teacher informs students and parents of
his/her classroom guidelines for grading and classroom procedures.
Questions for February 26, 2004
Stabilizing Turnover
1) Some RISD schools have very low teacher turnover while others have
higher turnover each year. What is the district doing, or can do, to
help with stability at these schools?
The Human Resources Department monitors teacher turnover each year.
For the last two years, turnover has been higher than normal, statewide
and districtwide, because of the pending closure of the social security
loophole.
Different campuses have varying staffs in terms of average age. A campus
with an older average aged staff will have more teachers retiring the
same year, while younger staffs often lose teachers to motherhood at
roughly the same time.
RISD has an established and effective new teacher induction program,
as well as a mentoring program for staff members new to the district.
Both of these programs are designed to assist new teachers to successfully
settle into the district..
When a pattern of higher-than-normal teacher turnover is recognized
at any campus, Human Resources works with that area assistant superintendent
to provide support specifically for that school.
Teacher Raises
2) Are teacher raises based in part from test (TAKS, TEKS, AP, etc.)
results from their classes? If "yes," why does RISD not see
the inherent problems to "teaching the test" instead of a well-
rounded program?
RISD Board Policy states that an employee
must receive a performance appraisal rating of at least “meets expectations,” “proficient,” or “competent” to
be eligible for any compensation increases authorized for their job category.
Board policy also states that employees must be appraised at least once
annually.
Most RISD teachers are evaluated using
the state appraisal system known as the Professional Development Appraisal
System (PDAS). In the PDAS,
student performance is considered in one of the eight domains that make
up appraisal system. A teacher’s actual campus rating is considered
in one part of one domain. There are 51 indicators considered by the
PDAS, 10 of which directly address student performance on the TAKS. So,
while student performance is evaluated in a teacher’s appraisal,
it counts as approximately 20 percent of the overall evaluation score.
RISD teachers teach the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) which is the state curriculum. Curriculum
coordinators work hard to provide
a curricular scope and sequence as well as staff development in content
areas for teachers. Student success in learning the TEKS is measured
by the state examination, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
(TAKS). If teachers teach TEKS, and students learn TEKS (the state curriculum),
then RISD has provided a strong fundamental program, and students can
apply those skills to be successful on TAKS, the SAT, the ACT or any
other assessment. This is the benefit of RISD teachers teaching the state
TEKS curriculum, not the TAKS test.
Bus scheduling
3) Can the district transport athletes to games on time? Should the transportation
department work with the coaches on better schedules? What is the latest
time that a game can begin before cutting into athletes’ homework/family
time?
Buses used to transport students to games are the same buses that are
used to transport students to and from school. Priority is given to school
routes, which can take a varying amount of time to complete. This can
often delay the departure of athletic teams for games.
Games are scheduled as early as possible, with the intent of getting
the games finished and ultimately getting the athletes home as early
in the evening as possible. A characteristic of transportation delays
is that they are unpredictable, so predicting delays when considering
schedules is generally not feasible.
There is no “latest” time for
a game to begin, but again, RISD attempts to schedule starting times
as early as possible. Please
also keep in mind that many variables can affect the starting time of
an event in addition to district bus schedules.
[ top ] Notification of failure
4) What is the district’s policy in notifying you if your child
is failing at the elementary level?
These procedures are outlined in board policy and district guidelines.
The RISD Student/Parent Guidebook, Instructional Operating Guide and
Program of Studies are aligned with this policy.
At the three-week point into a grading period, a progress notice shall
be provided to the parents/guardians of a student whose grade average
is deemed borderline or failing.
Teachers are obligated further to inform
parents/guardians when a student’s
grade drops below 70 in the latter half of the grading period.
If a student’s grade is deemed borderline
or less than 70, parents should schedule a conference with the teacher.
There may be additional campus-developed guidelines that address reporting
grades to parents based on specific campus plans.
Overflow
5) If a child’s home attendance school is full, how is it determined
to which school such overflow students will go?
In RISD, children attend their neighborhood school unless the enrollment
cap is reached at a given grade level. If the cap has been reached at
a neighborhood school, upon enrollment, a student will be placed at the
nearest school with available space, with the following considerations:
The historical enrollment level of the potential receiving school(s).
Availability of space across several grades
at potential receiving schools – the
district tries to keep all family members at the same school.
Availability of central programs at potential receiving schools, such
as special education, bilingual and pre-kindergarten programs.
Existing bus routes, because reassigned students are provided transportation.
The district attempts to maintain overflow assignments at each school
at a level not exceeding 20 percent of the total enrollment.
Frequently, when a student’s original neighborhood school has
space become available, reassigned students are notified.
Customer surveys
6) Customer surveys were sent to parents in December but not to all parents.
Are participants selected at random? Is the survey available to those
who do not receive one so they have the opportunity to express their
opinions? If so, how can they get included?
Two campuses were selected for the 2003-2004 pilot surveys in advance
of the districtwide surveys that will be sent out to every RISD parent
and campus beginning in March 2004. Information derived from these surveys
will be formally presented to principals and campus teams at the annual
Summer Leadership Conference in July.
Student surveys will also be administered to all eighth and 11th-grade
students during this period.
So if a parent didn’t receive a survey
in December, it is because their school was not part of the pilot survey,
and they can expect to
receive one beginning in mid-March.
[ top ] Communications regarding full-day kindergarten
7) How is the district planning on communicating information regarding
the board decision to implement full day kindergarten to those not
currently in the school system (i.e. those who may potentially be enrolling
their child for fall 2004 and beyond)? Will the communication describe
the academic as well as the financial reasons for the decision?
RISD will continue to communicate information regarding full-day kindergarten
to the community in a variety of ways. The academic benefits of moving
to a full-day program were the primary factors in the decision once space
became available.
Methods of communication include:
Two front-page stories with photos in the Richardson Morning News
Front page story in the
RISD School Times 3/25 – district
circulation of 150,000
ListServe notices. Anyone
can sign up for the district’s ListServe
free of charge at the district Web site
Announcements on the
RISD Web site – www.risd.org
Press Releases to all area media outlets
Individual school Kindergarten Roundups, announced
by yard signs, banners on fences, school marquees and school Web sites.
Children from separate households
8) In what ways could RISD implement policies and procedures to effectively
meet the needs of the children who are members of two separate households,
especially when one of the households is a stepfamily?
RISD currently has procedures in place
that address this issue. The Texas Education Code (state law) gives
a minor child’s parents
rights to receive information about their child(ren); thus the districts’ legal
obligation is to the child’s parents. RISD policy and practice
is aligned with Texas law.
A legal change in parent/child relationship
should be communicated to the child’s school. A copy of documentation (divorce decree/court
order) detailing the educational rights of parents should be provided
to the child’s school.
The principal will review the documentation,
with assistance of district legal counsel where necessary, to determine
the extent each parent may
be involved in the child’s educational experience.
Upon enrollment, parents are requested
to fill out enrollment and emergency cards, stating the specific names
of individuals who can be involved
in their child’s education process.
In situations where both parents have rights
to educational records, and may legally participate in their child’s
educational experiences, the campus administrator will work to determine
the best way to communicate
with, and involve both parents.
Parents generally receive information through
the child’s “take
home” packets, or, in some instances, through the mail. Sometimes,
when a parent lives in a different city or if conflict between the parents
creates a difficult situation, the non-custodial parent will request
that information be mailed to him or her. If the mail option is chosen,
that parent will be requested to provide self-addressed stamped envelopes.
Parents sometimes list step-parents on
their child’s enrollment
card as an alternate contact.
Although discord sometimes arises between
biological parents with respect to a step parent’s involvement
at school, the district strongly encourages parents to work through
these matters and not involve the
school or district in domestic issues.
Where possible, a school will honor a parent’s wishes with respect
to a step-parent’s involvement at school; however, the school may
not be able to do so if it would result in disruption of school activities.
Parental rights do not transfer to step-parents upon marriage. Rather,
step-parents are granted access to a child’s educational experiences
only to the extent that the child’s parents permit.
Parents are encouraged to meet individually with campus administration
to discuss any concerns.
[ top ] Ensuring accurate grade reporting
9) What is being done to ensure that teachers are calculating and entering
grades correctly into the computerized grade reporting systems, so
that GPA and class rank are computed correctly?
A tremendous amount of time and effort has gone into not only ensuring
accurate grade reporting through the new electronic grade reporting system,
but doing so in a comprehensive, easy-to-track manner.
Historical Perspective
In the past, teachers kept all their grades
in a paper copy grade book. When students were failing or in danger
of failing a course, parents
received a progress notice at the three weeks mid-cycle. Some of these
reports included all the student’s grades, but most progress notices
included the grade average to date. At the six weeks and semester grade
cycles, the teachers entered grades onto scan sheets and report cards
were printed.
While this procedure became routine for teachers over the years, it
often left parents and students asking questions such as:
“I don’t understand how my student’s
teacher weights assignments and calculates grades.”
“My student is passing so I didn’t
get a progress notice.”
“I can’t get my student’s assignment grades and can’t
tell what she needs to work on until I get the report card, and then
it’s too late.”
“How come there isn’t a way for me to know how my student’s
grades are going without waiting six weeks for a report card or scheduling
a teacher conference?”
“I don’t understand why teachers round the semester grade
averages that go into my GPA differently. It doesn’t seem fair – some
teachers seem to use business rules of rounding while some do not. That
can make a difference in my GPA rank.”
In today’s era of rigorous accountability,
students and parents rightfully demand more comprehensive communication
housed in a system
that is standardized across the district.
As such, this year RISD implemented a new electronic grade book system.
While there has been a learning curve for teachers, parents and administrators
alike, the new system greatly enhanced the level and detail of grading
information available to all parties. Grading guidelines are also now
standard districtwide.
Implementation of the electronic grade book system has required a very
significant amount of effort on the part of many RISD personnel. The
following is some information about how that implementation has occurred,
and what specific steps are taken to ensure teachers are entering and
calculating grades correctly.
- Teachers entered approx. 7.6M grades in the
electronic grade book system in the first semester alone in RISD.
In compliance with long-term district practices and guidelines to enforce
RISD GPA/Rank policies, there are several steps to the process of ensuring
that teachers are entering and calculating grades correctly at the campus
and district levels so that GPA/Rank are computed correctly:
- Each grading cycle or semester, central staff emails “Instructions
for Closing Campus” to the school’s Student Data Specialist
(SDS)
1. Teacher finalizes student’s
grades
2. Teacher then closes each course section
3. Required grade validation lists process at campus including:
a. Teacher prints grade validation lists for all course sections
b. Teacher makes any corrections if needed for student
c. Teacher repeats process for all student grades
d. Teacher signs grade validation lists verifying the grades on the lists
are accurate
4. Teacher gives SDS signed grade validation lists
5. SDS again checks each validation list for each teacher:
a. Blanks or NF (not finalized) – consult
with teacher to validate
b. Handwritten grades – should not be accepted – teacher
should make corrections in gradebook (see item 3.)
c. Qualifying statements on a signed validation – separates these
reports from other validations for Principal’s inspection
6. SDS then signs each grade validation list
7. SDS prepares screen print of details of “Resolve Grades” screen
with Finalized, Not Finalized, Overridden classes
8. SDS consults with Principal with validations lists and screen print
to determine whether campus ready to be closed
9. Principal reviews information, takes corrective action, if needed,
and determines campus ready to close.
10. SDS closes campus at a time and date estimated by the district
11. SDS contacts the Manager for Student PEIMS indicating:
a. Campus has been closed.
b. Campus has not been closed - - - call immediately with details - -
- should call as soon as campus is aware there is a problem
Technical Support to Ensure Correct Grades as Reflected in Electronic
Gradebook
- STARs Program – 1 STAR per 10 teachers;
1 STAR campus coordinator; 5 central STAR coordinators. STARs are
teachers specially trained
in the electronic grade book system and serve as an on-campus resource
for
all teachers
- Help Desk support including extended hours and weekends
at cycle/semester end
- Central staff monitoring and support of Edsoft-related
daily Help Desk logs
Electronic Gradebook System Features to Ensure Correct Grades
- No errors transferring grades from standalone grade
book to scan sheets
- Averaging rules and calculation formulas enforced
uniformly; not every teacher was using an electronic grade book previously
- Grade Validation reports available “prior” to
printing of report cards to clean up any errors (compared to old
system when
they arrived after printing of report cards)
- Grading matrices are “locked down” after
a teacher has graded an assignment to ensure that grading guidelines
communicated
to
students/parents do not change
- Grading matrices have been developed by teachers
to simplify and standardize grading guidelines and clearly communicate
with teachers
- Principals and counselors are now able to see grade
books on-line in accordance with student confidentiality guidelines
at any time
to assist in addressing student academic and/or attendance concerns.
Frequency of Teacher Observations
10) How often are teachers actually observed teaching by a third-party
evaluator to see if the quality is up to par? Teachers are observed by their campus supervisors, generally their principal
and/or assistant principal. The formal PDAS observation requires a minimum
of one observation of at least 45 minutes, plus additional observations
and walkthroughs as necessary.
Principals and assistant principals are first and foremost instructional
leaders and are charged with monitoring instruction building-wide. They
should be in and out of classrooms on a daily basis, and are evaluated
on how well they monitor instruction in their buildings.
Campus administrator staff development
for the 2003-04 school year focused on “walkthrough” training
to help principals and assistant principals with strategies to ensure
quality instruction is taking place.
If a teacher is struggling, the campus administrator may seek assistance
for that teacher from central curriculum staff.
Finally, a campus administrator may use a formal growth plan (part of
the PDAS system) to assist a teacher in improving performance. Our first
commitment is quality instruction for all RISD students.
[ top ] Preparing RISD Students for College
11) RISD must compete with schools in other parts of the country in terms
of college preparation. How well does RISD feel it is preparing its
students for the top national universities and the rigid curriculums
students can expect, especially in the area of AP English? All teachers in RISD (and Texas) are required to teach the state curriculum,
the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and the RISD scope and
sequence.
Thus far this year, a typical English III student in RISD has read:
- Three books, with more to follow
- Two plays
- Numerous short stories
- A variety of poetry selections
- A variety of essays
- A variety of nonfiction selections
In addition, some teachers require outside reading of novels, while
others encourage the practice. Many of the selections are specifically
chosen to prepare students for the AP test.
It is crucial to bear in mind that:
- The quantity of novels a student reads does not determine his or her
ability to critically analyze text. Deep analysis, class discussion and
the honing of reasoning skills based on coursework in reading and writing
are what develop and sharpen critical analysis abilities and serve the
academic needs of students.
- RISD has found the most successful methodologies do not focus on
teaching students for the specific purpose of “competition.” Rather,
the state curriculum and district scope and sequence is followed, which
well-prepares an engaged student for college.
- Pre-AP and AP courses lead to those students taking the AP exams in
language and literature. All RISD English teachers are trained through
College Board summer conferences on an ongoing basis.
- SAT preparation also focuses on college success skills through the
use of specific strategies, skills and the state curriculum.
- It would be inappropriate for RISD to attempt to duplicate the requirements
of a “top university” in a junior English classroom.
- English classes, by state requirement, must cover a variety of texts
and genre. This requirement includes novels, short stories, plays, poetry,
essays, other nonfiction selections, folk tales, mythology, etc. Texts
from other cultures are also included.
- Parents are urged to encourage their children to read at home as well
as in the academic setting.
In the realm of college competition, our seniors are extremely competitive
in the national college admissions arena. Top universities have their
choice of the best and brightest high school graduates from select private
and public schools. RISD seniors are consistently selected each year.
By way of example, as of late February 2004, current members of the RISD
senior class (class of 2004) have already gained early acceptance* to
this partial list of exceptional universities:
Duke
Stanford
Rice
Yale
George Washington
Vanderbilt
Emory
New York University
University of Pennsylvania
Carnegie-Mellon
In addition, RISD co-hosts an annual college and career fair with Richland
College. Representatives from more than 200 colleges and universities
around the United States come to Richland in hopes of attracting RISD
graduates. Last year, more than 6,000 RISD students and their parents
attended the fair, which featured schools from the Ivy League to prominent
state universities from across the country.
*Early acceptance is difficult to attain, and is only extended to the
top students nationally.
Reporting Class Standings in Ninth Grade
12) Given that current college admissions standards are based on class
ranking, and the fact that our current 9th graders are still housed
in a junior high setting with few physical cues to help them appreciate
the impact of their early scholastic scores, why can't some form of
class ranking be made available even as early as the beginning of the
freshman spring semester? Ninth graders do not normally receive Rank/GPA because they are only
ranked with other students in their current class. When they enter the
tenth grade, they and the other students from the other area RISD junior
high schools, as well as those 10th-graders who have moved into that
RISD area, are put into one large 10th-grade class for a formal Rank/GPA.
Producing a Rank/GPA at the ninth-grade
level is certainly possible, but it would only reflect how those students
compete with their peers
at each ninth-grade campus and could change significantly the following
year at high school. Some parents have expressed an interest in this
information being available, while others have indicated that high school
is already competitive enough that they don’t want their ninth-graders
to have the additional pressure of a ranking order at that level.
This is a campus-level decision, so parents are encouraged to express
their opinions to their campus principals. Rank/GPA can be run for individual
campuses if the principal requests it.
[ top ] Richardson ISD Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
September 23, 2003
1) When will our schools have mandatory
drug testing for all student athletics, including cheerleaders?
Studies conducted on this issue have not demonstrated that mandatory
drug testing in high school athletics has an effect on overall drug
use in a school. Considered with the cost implications such a program
would require, the district currently has no plans to implement a mandatory
drug testing program for student athletes. The district will continue
to address teen drug use through drug awareness information, student
support services, and campus resource officers.
2) Why are bathroom doors at the stadiums able to be locked from the
inside?
Stadium restrooms have two doors, one of which
can be locked from the inside, while the other can only be locked with
a key from the
outside. The ability to lock one of the doors from the inside ensures
that no one can be locked inside the bathroom.
3) Why do junior high students stand outside the building until the
bell rings for school to start, while high school students are strongly
encouraged to come from inside if they arrive early?
This will vary from school to school. Some secondary schools offer
outdoor activities in the mornings for students arriving early, while
others offer indoor activities, and some offer both. For information
specific to each campus, parents are encouraged to contact the school.
4) If a student gets in trouble, and is assigned
to attend alternative school, but then leaves town during the assigned
period of time, how
is it possible for a student to return to the home school without ever
attending the alternative school?
Such a scenario would depend on how long the
student is away from the district, and whether the student attended
alternative school while
away from the district. If the student left town and attended another
Texas school district in the interim, the receiving district should
require that student to complete the disciplinary assignment. If the
student left Texas, the receiving school is notified of the pending
disciplinary assignment, but is under no obligation to require it of
the student.
If a student returns to RISD with no record
of having completed the disciplinary assignment in another district,
then the student would
serve the pending assignment at the discretion of their current principal. 5) What is the district’s position on the amount of homework
assigned that requires computers with Internet access, and is consideration
given to how feasible such assignments may be to families with several
children or families with limited Internet access?
For students who do not have access to the
Internet at home, teachers are asked to provide an alternate assignment
that offers equal instructional
opportunities for the students. Homework involving use of the Internet
is designed to provide students with opportunities to integrate instruction
from the classroom with technology. Libraries are open before and after
school, and offer Internet access to students. Teachers assign these
integrated homework projects to provide reinforcement of knowledge
and skills learned in the classroom; however, alternate assignments
are also appropriate for meeting this instructional goal.
Each campus has developed a Campus Homework
Plan through the leadership of the principal and in collaboration
with campus teachers. Parents
are encouraged to discuss purposes of homework and timelines with each
student’s teacher.
6) When freshmen are moved to the high schools,
will sixth-graders be moved to the junior highs to make room for
all-day kindergarten
in the elementary schools? There are no plans at this time to move sixth-graders to the junior
high schools. While some aspects of the Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS) are aligned for grades 6-8, the district is comfortable
with the level of instruction taking place in the elementary schools
for sixth-graders.
7) Is there any truth concerning rumors of coaches who change student
grades in order to allow that student to be eligible to play athletics?
The district is unaware of any specific instances
of this occurring, and would take full disciplinary action against
any parties fraudulently
changing grades for any purpose. The checks and balances of the district’s
grading system ensure that any grade cannot be changed for any reason
without the knowledge and approval of the student’s teacher.
Individuals who suspect a grade may have been changed fraudulently
should immediately contact the school’s principal or RISD’s
Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools.
8) Why doesn’t RISD offer all-day kindergarten?
Richardson ISD is actively considering
the implementation of all-day kindergarten at all elementary campuses
beginning with the
2004-2005 school year. While a final decision has not been reached,
the District is studying the feasibility of implementation in terms
of academics, finances, available space, and public input.
9) Is there any way to spread out TAKS testing, rather that require
students to be tested two or three days consecutively, with few breaks?
Due to confidentiality, accountability, and financial issues, the
Texas Education Agency (TEA) mandates TAKS testing schedules statewide.
Individual districts like RISD cannot deviate from them, with the exception
of weather or civil emergencies that close the school on testing day.
10) Why can’t summer reading lists consist
of books that offer enjoyable, contemporary and upbeat reading, rather
than books that
are long, boring and do not create a love for reading?
Each school’s summer reading selections
are discussed and chosen yearly by campus-based groups of teachers
and administrators known
as Individual English Vertical Teams. Selections are based on grade-level
curriculum and specific student interests. Summer reading is designed
to be independent reading, and while some books may be more in the
young adult genre than classic literature, this is not always the case.
The purposes of summer reading are:
- To instill a love of reading.
- To maintain critical reading skills
without the need for extensive assistance.
- To provide a basis for
discussion and writing.
- To promote lifelong reading habits.
The pros and potential cons of each book
are discussed before it is placed on the school’s list. Historical
student perspectives on assigned books are also evaluated by the
team as lists are compiled.
11) As class sizes grow larger, is it possible to divide the current
format of one graduation ceremony for all four schools into two separate
ceremonies with two schools each?
Last year was the first time all four
RISD high schools graduated on the same day. This allowed every school
to enjoy the convenience
of a Saturday graduation, which is the best option for those traveling
from out of town to attend the ceremonies. In prior years, two high
schools would have a Friday graduation, and two high schools would
have a Sunday graduation, an arrangement that was less convenient for
the majority of graduates’ families. Prior to last year, the
district received numerous requests each year for a Saturday graduation.
An additional factor in graduation scheduling
is the availability of SMU’s Moody Coliseum, which is not always
guaranteed to be available exactly when the district would prefer,
but is simplified
by only choosing one day instead of two.The overwhelming majority of
feedback after last year’s graduation
was positive, and the district has no plans at this time to change
the single-day format.
12) In order to relieve students from having to carry multiple books
to and from school, can the district issue each student a book for
home use and then each classroom a set for in-class use?
The calculated initial cost to RISD of providing
a set of textbooks for each child to keep at home exceeds $11 million,
which is unfortunately
prohibitive. The district recognizes parental concerns regarding students
transporting often heavy or voluminous textbooks to and from school.
Some students have successfully addressed this issue by utilizing compact
handcarts.Parents who feel this is a significant problem for their
child are also encouraged to contact campus principals to discuss possible
campus-specific
solutions.
[ top ] 13) With the opening of the new elementary school(s), how will existing
schools be affected in terms of attendance and overflow, and which
specific existing schools will be affected?
A primary purpose of opening two new elementary
schools next year is to make it more feasible for children to attend
schools in their neighborhood, and dramatically reduce the number of
students overflowed to schools not in their neighborhood. This is consistent
with strong parent and community involvement in each neighborhood elementary
school.
Students attending the new Carolyn G. Bukhair (CGB) Elementary will
be students from the J. Frank Dobie/RISD Academy attendance zone. The
proposed attendance zone boundaries are:
CGB Elementary
N - Spring Valley Rd.
E - North Central Expressway (75)
W - Maham Rd.
S - LBJ Freeway
RISD Academy
N - Spring Valley Rd.
E - Maham Road
W - Coit Rd.
S - LBJ Freeway
The schools that will experience a significant
decrease in enrollment as a result of CGB’s opening include
Dobie, RISD Academy and Northrich, with a minor impact on other schools. Enrollment at both CGB and RISD Academy is anticipated to be in the
range of 600-650 students each, while Dobie is expected to have an
enrollment of approximately 500 students. Both CGB and RISD Academy
will serve grades 1-6, while Dobie will be Early Entry, Pre-Kindergarten
and Kindergarten.
Children living in these attendance zones that are currently overflowed
to other schools will have the option of staying at their current school.
The attendance zone for the new Elementary School on Ferris Branch
in the Lake Highlands area is being determined. 14) Does the district have any advocacy or support groups for parents
with children who have ADHD and dyslexia?
Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD)
214-795-4644 www.chadd.org
Learning Disabilities Association of Richardson
214-690-5383 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/LDAT/ldat.html
International Dyslexia Association
972-233-9107 www.interdys.org
15) Why are school lunches so expensive at $2.50?
The $2.50 price is the price for an adult lunch at a school cafeteria,
which is larger than a student lunch. Student lunch prices are $1.90.
The district feels that lunch prices provide an excellent overall value
considering RISD lunches are nutritionally balanced and high quality.
Some economically disadvantaged students may qualify for a free or
reduced-price (.40) lunch. Parents who think they may qualify are encouraged
to contact their individual school for more information.
[ top
]
The following questions were submitted by the Parent Advisory Committee
and answered at the Nov. 18, 2003 meeting:
1. After tax dollars are sent out to other districts, as per the Robin
Hood agreement, how many dollars per student remain? How does this
compare to districts around us?
RISD’s total operating expense per Weighted Average Daily Attendance
is $6,485 for 2003-04. But $1,353 of that is recapture, so only $5,132
remain for local use. The national average is more than $7,000.
2. Fair Day was scheduled on Yom Kippur this year. Is it possible
to not do this again?
RISD works closely with the State Fair of Texas to determine the best
day for the holiday. This year, the State Fair would not allow the
District to use Columbus Day as done in the past. They gave RISD the
choice of the Monday before, which was Yom Kippur, or the Monday after,
which was felt to be too late. RISD’s calendar committee asked
several community members of the Jewish faith about it, and each one
expressed appreciation that the day would be set aside as a holiday.
From these responses, it was scheduled. However, the District has received
almost as many calls against the idea since the calendar was printed,
so it will not be done again.
3. What is the District’s policy on allowing students to continue
participating in athletics while they are assigned to In-School Suspension
or the Alternative Learning Center?
The Texas Education Association and the University Interscholastic
League govern when students can participate. The rules stipulate that
students may not play or practice if they are at our district alternative
center, CMLC, but once back in their campus buildings for one day,
they are eligible again. Decisions concerning participation during
In-School Suspensions are site-based, and determined by the individual
circumstances.
4. The current REACH process for kindergarten dictates that all children
participate during the first semester. Shortly after the break, the
REACH teacher removes those students who are testing from of the classroom
for three consecutive weeks for the test. After the results are tabulated,
the new REACH students continue to meet with the REACH teacher. Can
the process be changed?
According to the TAC (19 TAC 89.1 (3) and the Texas State Plan for
the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (TSP Section 1, 1.4A), Kindergarten
students must be identified and receiving services by March 1. The
primary focus during the spring semester changes to identifying and
providing the state mandated services to our gifted students. They
must receive two hours of differentiated instruction a week from a
teacher with gifted education certification.
In deciding how to best serve our kindergarten students and adhere
to the legal mandates, RISD feels that the current process is the most
cost efficient and effective method of delivery of services to the
largest number of students.
5. How does the District inform parents of the privacy option of the
No Child Left Behind Act?
RISD provides a Student/Parent Guidebook & Student Code of Conduct
to every student at the beginning of each year. Inside the back cover
of the Guidebook, the Notice of Parent and Student Rights under the
Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), is explained along
with the NCLB rule. Information about student records and FERPA is
also included on pages 21 and 22 of the 2003-04 Guidebook. Each year,
parents may elect to keep their child’s directory information
private by selecting the appropriate box on the child’s enrollment
card that is completed before initial school enrollment and each spring
during enrollment. Parents may also submit an election in writing to
the school principal and RISD’s Records Management Office at
the Administration Building. Students 18 years or older may make the
request in writing themselves. The same information can be found on
the District Web site at http://www.risd.org/Parents/codeofconduct.htm.
6. How can we keep the deadlines for the PTA Reflections Contest, Invention
Convention and Science Fair from competing against each other?
PTA Reflections and Invention Convention
are both quality traditional fall programs in RISD. The Invention
Convention was held in the spring
one year. However, David Dodd, coordinator, experienced more problems/schedule
conflicts than occurred in the fall. For example, Destination Imagination,
Science Fair, TAKS testing, etc. occur during second semester and are
time-intensive for administrative staff, teachers, and students. The
District prefers to keep Invention Convention as it has been for the
past 18 out of 19 years, which is the second Saturday in November.
This allows planning every year for this highly popular event to be
held at Berkner and consistency for the judges who volunteer their
time – they traditionally set aside this weekend for Invention
Convention. Locations and judging attainment are major factors in having
a successful event. Many of the judges have judged all nineteen years.
Elementary campuses vary regarding their guidelines for participation
in the Reflections Contest, Invention Convention, and Science Fair.
Some hold Invention Convention and Science Fair on alternate years;
some campuses require participation in specific grades for Science
Fair; others require students to select at least one competition of
the three; etc. Invention Convention and Reflections are projects that
some teachers incorporate into class work, while other teachers view
them as outside projects to be completed at home. It is possible that
the PTA Reflections contest at the individual schools can be moved
into late September, because it has a more flexible deadline. Potential
scheduling conflicts come with RISD students being offered a variety
of enrichment opportunities.
7. What is the District policy regarding after-hours use of air conditioning
for school-sponsored functions?
In order to conserve energy, each school’s HVAC system is shut
down shortly after students leave for the day. If an evening or after-school
activity is planned, the principal’s office may request that
the air be turned on during the time of the after-hours event. RISD’s
Department of Facility Services requests at least a 24-hour written/email
notice for changes in the schedule.
8. What is the District policy regarding review
of programs such as “Aim
for Success?”
Realizing that each of our campus principals best understands his
or her community, all controversial/sensitive materials/presentations/productions
are reviewed at the campus level and must be approved by a campus-level
committee prior to sharing with students.
Such site-based decisions utilize review processes for all outside
programs and materials that are sensitive or controversial in nature.
Process for review requires a campus committee selected by the principal
(including principal) to review materials and presentation. The process
must include parent communication concerning availability of presentation
and opportunity for parents to review any materials and presentation
information prior to program.
All such programs should have an opt-out option available to students,
programs cannot include a survey or poll of students, and all programs
must be paid for through campus or PTA funds.
9. In the new report cards there is a “Reading Proficiency” category
that indicates what a student’s reading ability is by grade level.
Why is it not reported if a student is reading above their current
grade level?
This specific report card is a new tool for everyone across the District.
Consistency in reporting and standardizing the report card information
as much as possible is extremely important to ensure consistent reporting.
In order to support this consistency in reporting, this year the District
will stay within the current grade for guided reading levels. Students
who are reading above grade level will be challenged in guided reading
by utilizing a wide variety of texts/genres including a variety of
texts levels as well as engaging the students in advanced comprehension
strategies and group discussions in response to text. Notation can
be made on the teacher comment section, parent conferences and telephone
calls about the progress being made above grade level. The Accommodations/Modifications
section will need an A1 to indicate extra depth in instruction to provide
challenge. To be considered reading “above grade level” students
should not only be able to read the text level indicated for the end
of the year at a 95-100% accuracy rate, but also should deeply comprehend
that text including being able to answer higher-level questions about
the text and support inferences with textual proof.
At the end of this year, the District will consider input from teachers
and principals in making decisions about the guided reading level on
the report card for next year.
10. What is the District’s policy concerning overflow?
The District believes that the state mandate of 22/1 student/teacher
ratio for grades K-4 should be strictly enforced for optimum learning
in the lower grades. When the classes are filled for a particular grade
in a neighborhood school, the district then determines availability
in surrounding schools. Consideration is given to proximity to home
and available space for the student and in some cases, any siblings.
Transportation for overflow students is provided by the District. The
District monitors the percentage of overflow assigned to the receiving
schools and takes into consideration any special programs or needs
the receiving school may have in a particular grade level.
11. Does the District provide a breakfast to students who qualify
and if so, are the extras required to be thrown away daily? Is it possible
for parents to set up a program to take these ‘extras’ to
a shelter?
The District does make breakfast available
to students. Students qualifying for free/reduced meals receive breakfast
at either no charge or a reduced charge. Unused supplies of cereal
and fruit are restocked and milk is monitored to ensure that it remains
at appropriate temperatures before restocking. Milk at inappropriate
temperatures is discarded according to Health Department regulations.
Portions accepted by students that are not consumed are only thrown
away if they have been opened or compromised in any way. The USDA
does make provisions for unconsumed items to be donated to various
agencies under very specific guidelines. 12. Are the bus drivers for field trips properly trained, drug tested
and in compliance?
Yes, RISD contracts through Dallas County Schools and they do criminal
background checks, drug screenings and driving tests for all applicants.
In addition, mentor drivers are assigned to new drivers to assure quality
of service. Random drug tests continue to be done throughout the year,
as well as continued criminal background checks and ongoing training.
13. Why are there no AP level classes of any kind offered 7th period?
Principals must run an often-complicated conflict matrix schedule
in order to offer all the courses needed by students in high school.
Most athletics and extracurricular programs are offered during 7th
period, and in the past, AP courses offered during that time have not
been filled up.
14. What steps have been taken by the District to provide healthy food
to our campuses rather than fatty foods?
RISD’s Department of Child Nutrition
works closely with the State Department of Agriculture to provide nutritional
meal choices
and snacks, including fresh fruits, vegetables and less fatty main
dishes. In addition, the state has mandated that sodas (carbonated
sugared drinks) and foods of minimal nutritional value not be allowed
in elementary schools, and only available away from the cafeteria in
secondary schools. Parents have the option of blocking their children’s
choice of sugary snacks, etc. through the District’s payment
program. It can be viewed at www.risd.org/Parents/caf_menus.htm.
15. Why doesn't RISD offer a preparation course on SAT as part of the
curriculum, like some other districts offer it as an alternative
class?
Offering an SAT preparation class during the school day has been examined
many times over the past years. However, budgetary constraints prevent
the District from offering test preparation classes during the day
because each class taught requires a teacher allocation for that period.
However, teachers do make efforts to include test preparation strategies
in the Foundation Curriculum areas. In addition, the College Board
recommends a strong academic program for students who desire to do
well on the PSAT or SAT.
For more than 15 years, the District has offered a test preparation
program for PSAT/SAT after school and on Saturdays. This program is
sustained primarily from student tuition and supplemented with funds
from the operating budget. The District has made every effort to keep
the tuition low compared to other test preparation programs in the
area, and the program continues to grow each year.
16. An elementary school set up a soccer practice field on school
grounds and installed signs asking people to keep dogs off. Why can’t
pet owners use it?
This particular soccer practice field was jointly developed and funded
by the school’s PTA, the City of Dallas, and the RISD Grounds
Department. This soccer field is completely enclosed by a gated fence
system. Unfortunately, it has recently been used as a "Dog Park" where
dogs have been allowed to run free, in violation of City of Dallas
ordinances. Even if owners “pick up after their animals,” an
unhealthy residue is left. The signs are put there for a reason, and
it is hoped that dog owners will use other available spaces for their
pets so that children can use it for its intended purpose without health
hazards.
17. National Merit Semifinalists are listed in the newspaper. These
semifinalists come from those who took the PSAT in their junior year.
How are students informed that this is an important precursor to
the SAT and, now that the district is footing the bill for the exam,
how is that being communicated to the students and their parents?
This is the first year that all juniors are required to take the PSAT,
so participation will be approximately 95 percent. The District encourages
students to participate in the PSAT, SAT and ACT programs through their
counselors, teachers and special brochures. In addition, information
is being put on the Web site. Last year, 1,200 RISD students took the
PSAT.
18. Why are there no seatbelts on school buses?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
establishes standards for equipment safety and does not recommend seat
belts on school buses
based on their ongoing safety testing. Instead, they have determined
that using compartmentalization in the design of school buses is more
effective in reducing the risk of injury. All buses within our fleet
and those used by Dallas County comply with these safety requirements.
19. Sky Ranch is a Christian Camp. Is there any religious programming
when our fifth graders go there?
Even though Sky Ranch is a Christian camp, their outdoor education
program is strictly elementary-curriculum based and in no way incorporates
religion. Sky Ranch offers various programs during the year. Their
outdoor education program is a unique, hands-on learning experience
specifically designed for students in grades four, five, and six. They
offer a highly-trained faculty and a curriculum that is aligned with
the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The mission of the
outdoor education program is to “develop each student’s
awareness and knowledge of their environment…” Current
courses are offered in: aquatic study, forest study, orienteering,
challenges, bird study, fishing, insects, Native American Indians,
natural resources, and weather.
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