KISD Facts and Statistics under Dr. Hawkins’ regime

To the parents of KISD:

Following, will be a look at TAKS test data for the last 5 years at KISD schools, the last 3 under the leadership of Jim Hawkins.

Dr. Hawkins came in the fall of 2005 with a big plan which he termed a “journey.” You remember the initial convocation in which he had an hour long story of his life. In the past, we had dynamic speakers to motivate you but this time, it was a self proclaiming of the prophet coming with a video of the prophet’s life. Most of you will remember we then went through several town hall meetings during which this “voyage or journey” was begun. Some of you will remember the questioners were planted by Dr. Hawkins in the audience and the questions all were preplanned and answered in magnificent style. This made some of us wonder about the journey, but you were told that there would be doubters and even if this journey was not successful, we would begin another one. You were also told that you might not know when the journey was successful and complete, so it seemed to be a 1960’s type of journey that many college students had. Those journeys were such that they did not know where they were going and how to get there. Well, folks, we are here to show and tell you that the journey and the other expensive programs did not work, will not work, and are all a waste of taxpayer money.

Let’s address the 4 major subject areas on TAKS and then, we will present the data to prove it. English and Social Studies were always doing well at the 4 high schools even during the years of Charles Patterson. They still are. Ellison High was number one in math and Harker Heights number 2. They still are. Scores for none of the 4 high schools have improved noticeably in any subject area for the 9^th grade group, 10^th grade group, or 11^th grade group. As a matter of fact, there has only been one recognized high school ever in KISD, and that was Ellison High, during the Charles Patterson era.

But, on to the real problem. Over 150 kids did not graduate last year in KISD primarily because of TAKS math and science. Ellison High had the fewest with 10. Nine of those were given extra help in the summer for a 12 hour period, individual help. 6 out of the 9 immediately passed and got their diplomas after having failed TAKS math 44-45 times between them. So, folks, that is a 67 per cent passing rate from kids that had been 0-42 from KISD methods. The other 3 had more individualized help and 2 out of those 3 got their diplomas in October. Ellison High was down to one.

To take the story back a little further, Ellison High had 14 kids that were going to have one last chance to pass the TAKS Math test in April of 2007. 2 of those paid for 12 hours of tutoring themselves. Those 2 passed the TAKS test and legitimately walked and graduated. 2 others from EHS also passed out of 12. So, the District’s average was 17 per cent in April of 2007. The other method was 100 per cent.

So, parents of students that have not been able to pass TAKS Math either in 2007 or 2008, we suggest you do the following. Flood the telephones and emails of board members, the superintendent, and your principals. We are suggesting that the board provide vouchers of up to $300 per student so that they can get the individualized help they need to be successful. If your student is at Ellison High, you don’t need to do this. It is being taken care of by the principal, Marvin Rainwater.

We also suggest the board and Dr. Hawkins personally take an interest in all the students of KISD and find out what it is that Marvin Rainwater knows, that the rest of you don’t know. We do know that the key for the low performing subgroups don’t involve journeys, learning communities, calculator training, or “Agile Mind” Training. They also don’t involve a lot of extra work or money. We could stop wasting money on the above programs that don’t work though and spend it on the kids. The kids deserve it. The community and board should be demanding it.

There is no reason in the world for TAKS math and science scores to be below 70 percent at any of the 4 high schools or any of the ethnic subgroups or low income subgroups in any class. What is needed is a more effective leader who will get out and see what works and will admit what won’t. And, then when he sees it, stops the ridiculous learning communities and wasting of time. After 3 years, one would think it is now time to use what the teachers have supposedly learned in learning communities, and go work with the kids one on one, and get it done. It is a little like coaches meeting for weeks and coming up with all these grandiose ideas, and never practicing what they learned with the athletes.

150 kids not graduating is absolutely shameful. The number of kids that presently won’t graduate is abysmal. We call on the board and Dr. Hawkins to get off their rear ends, find these kids, and get them the individualized help they need. Parents, Board Members, and Dr. Hawkins, we call on and challenge you to help us solve the problem. Learning Communities have gone on for 3 years with no positive effect on test scores. Call Marvin Rainwater today. He knows how to help your child pass TAKS. And, to think, Dr. Hawkins once made the comment that “the hardest one to change will be Marvin Rainwater.” Duh. Ellison High was at the top before. Why should he change? It seems to us that the ones who should be finding better methods to insure that all kids are successful would be running to Ellison High to examine the programs in math and the science program for TAKS under Dr. George Childs.

So, call Marvin Rainwater, parents. Chances are he will tell you how 70 per cent of your students who have failed TAKS 2 or more times, can be successful. 501-0600.

Or, you can email us or call us: Raymond D. Onkst 338-7651

Your student deserves better. You should demand it. Also, feel free to email us with problems such as no textbooks for your student, or any other problem you have with KISD which the administration will not help solve. In the coming days, we will put up the data for all high schools and middle schools in the district for the last 5 year period. Then, you can see for yourself, that progress has been minimal or none. In fact, 2 of the high schools have gone backwards.

We already know that the superintendent is a weak one. Maybe if enough people complain that they want their sons/daughters to pass TAKS and graduate, then he will do something. So far, he has failed to do anything regarding complaints and witnesses saying their student athletes were recruited to play sports at one of the high schools. Sir, over 40 people now are listed as saying they would welcome an investigation. One is a present 8^th grader. Pretty early, for a 14 year old kid to be recruited, would you not agree?

Sincerely,

Raymond D. Onkst

KISD TAKS Statistics