Thursday, August 07, 2008
By Wendy Gragg
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Waco Independent School District trustees today will consider closing chronically low-performing G.L. Wiley Middle School in East Waco. Leaders from the area will make an impassioned case for why the struggling school should be given one more year to succeed.
Wiley earned its fifth “unacceptable” state rating this summer. But rather than turn the school over to alternative management immediately, the state gave the school one more year to improve students’ state test scores. The school narrowly missed attaining “acceptable” status this year.
Today's meeting
Time: 5:30 p.m., WISD Conference Center, 115 S. Fifth St.
Agenda: Public comments on three options for the future of G.L. Wiley, two of which would shut it down.
“Given the high levels of performance achieved by students across most subject areas, and given the focused nature of the needed improvement, I am waiving alternative management because I believe, with one more year of effort, the campus will raise its rating,” state Education Commissioner Robert Scott said in a letter to the district in June.
The Waco ISD school board and administration have decided to consider closure before this school year starts, in little more than two weeks. District officials will take public comments on three options for Wiley’s future, which have been posted on the district’s Web site, at www.wacoisd.org.
One option would keep the school open and the other two would close the school before the academic year starts. If Wiley were closed, the district would send Wiley students to other area middle schools.
Arguments for closing the school consist of various facts and figures. The case to keep it open is fueled by emotion and attachment to a school that has been part of the East Waco community for roughly 70 years. East Waco leaders, however, have bolstered their case with Texas Education Agency figures.
The board meets on the issue at 5:30 p.m. today at the Waco ISD Conference Center, 115 S. Fifth St.
Here are the talking points to keep Wiley Middle School open, from community members:
* Wiley has made significant gains in Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test scores over the last few years. In 2007-08, Wiley had a greater percentage of students passing some portions of the TAKS test than other middle schools in the district did. With one more year, students should be able to reach the “acceptable” level.
* Wiley-zoned students have fled Wiley for G.W. Carver Academy, where they can get different programs and instruction. If they were offered at Wiley, the students would come back and the school would no longer have low enrollment.
G.L. Wiley TAKS scores, 2003-08
* If enrollment is an issue, consider closure for other Waco ISD schools with low enrollment as well. Also consider that this year, the enrollment at Wiley is expected to be up somewhat.
* A closed school would be a blow to the East Waco community, which is working toward revitalization and economic development. Community leaders don’t want the school to become another blight on the landscape like other shuttered schools. East Waco is already losing an elementary school with the consolidation of J.H. Hines and Doris Miller schools.
* If G.L. Wiley were closed, students would have to be bused to middle schools in North and South Waco.
Talking points for considering closure of Wylie, from district officials:
* G.L. Wiley has been rated “academically unacceptable” for five straight years, and five years of efforts and additional resources haven’t worked. If the campus were closed this year, the students in East Waco could be allowed to attend two schools that within the last three years have received a “recognized” rating by Texas Education Agency.
* Because of declining enrollment, Wiley has been unable to maintain programs in music, fine arts and athletics. Declining enrollment also has made it impossible to offer the same opportunities and programs at Wiley as are offered at the district’s other neighborhood middle schools.
* The small student body sets it up for failure, because of the way the state TAKS system works. It would not take many struggling students for the whole school to get another “unacceptable” rating.
* Because of Wiley’s small size, the cost per student has ballooned compared to schools with larger student bodies. In 2007-08, the cost per student at Tennyson Middle School was $5,381, while the cost per student at Wiley was $9,435, according to WISD.
* In 2007-08, only 130 students in East Waco attended Wiley. And 43 percent of Wiley’s students are bused in and do not live in East Waco. Students in the West Avenue Elementary School attendance zone have not been able to attend their neighborhood middle school (Brazos) for the last four years because the district has been busing them to Wiley in an effort to keep the school open.
wgragg@wacotrib.com
757-6901
TAKS test passing rates (by subject) for Waco ISD middle schools
| READING (70%) | WRITING (65%) | MATH (50%) | SOCIAL STUDIES (65%) | SCIENCE (45%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Carver | 90% | 1. Tennyson | 94% | 1. Carver | 78% | 1. University | 98% | 1. Lake Air | 69% |
| 2. Tennyson | 90% | 2. Carver | 93% | 2. G.L. Wiley | 76% | 2. Cesar Chavez | 98% | 2. Carver | 68% |
| 3. Cesar Chavez | 89% | 3. Lake Air | 92% | 3. Cesar Chavez | 73% | 3. Lake Air | 94% | 3. Tennyson | 62% |
| 4. Lake Air | 88% | 4. University | 91% | 4. Tennyson | 71% | 4. G.L. Wiley | 92% | 4. University | 59% |
| 5. University | 88% | 5. Cesar Chavez | 90% | 5. University | 69% | 5. Tennyson | 88% | 5. Cesar Chavez | 54% |
| 6. G.L. Wiley | 86% | 6. G.L. Wiley | 88% | 6. Lake Air | 59% | 6. Carver | 88% | 6. Brazos | 50% |
| 7. Brazos | 83% | 7. Brazos | 87% | 7. Brazos | 54% | 7. Brazos | 78% | 7. G.L. Wiley | 33% |
Comments
By null
Aug 9, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this
I'm glad to see that you feel the school should not have been closed but I just wanted to point out one thing, the teachers and administrators were doing an excellent job with those kids. For the past two years, they have performed well in all areas except for one. This was a simply a shakedown, a way for WISD to recoup some money to help stop the $800,000 bloodletting that they are facing ($800K in the red).
By Adrian
Aug 9, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
For all of you blaming the parents, shame on you. Many parents in that area simply cannot attend meetings because many of them are working two jobs in order to survive...but of course, it's typical for some of Waco's resident's to simply sterotype the entire population. The teachers that have been assembled at Wiley have done an excellent job and the kinds have responded to them, take a look at the numbers (the graph is provided). For the past two years Wiley excelled in all areas except for one; 2007 Social Studies and 2008 Science. BTW why didn't WISD file an exemption last year for Wiley when they were only 2 points away from passing Social Studies (then they would have been acceptable) like they do for many other campuses? If the Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency (that's the state's education body) had enough foresight to grant Wiley another reprive (which he did not grant to other schools) why didn't this lying school board (yes I said lying, when they were voting on the recent bond that passed, they promised East Waco civic leaders/community that if the bond passed they would not close Wiley)? The truth is that WISD is $800,000 in the red and have mismanaged that bond money to the point where the only thing that they could do was to close another Black school. Even though Brazos's enrollment numbers are low and Wiley's score's topped theirs in 3 out of 4 areas you don't hear anything about closing that school or about the lack of parental involvement. This was planned from the get go. This is what happens when you have a governing body that does not give a damn about you. Wake up people and look at the numbers before you start spewing you racial epitath's and "sound bite" quips.
By Tear Drop
Aug 9, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this
Yea, valid points made by all. Let's see. Mr. Ward, who happens to live in Midway says WISD is the best district if in fact it was true, he should send his daughter to the school. The superintendent of the district has his children in the highest performing elementary school. Why didnt they go to J.Hines, Doris Miller or that other school in North Waco? It appears that you have many people cheering for Waco from 8-3p.m. but instantaniously becomes Midway fans or Vanguard fans after 3. The spokesman should send his kid to Waco ISD since he always says some great things are happening at WISD... It is a shame! A dirty shame at that. Ward and the blogger on the website was correct, why werent you fighting for your school in the first place. Lester cannot do it by himself. If no one else does anything for Uncle Lester, you should at least say thank you because you sure as hell didnt do anything on tv, but sit and look pretty!!
By Upset and Hurt
Aug 8, 2008 11:39 PM | Link to this
I WORK WITH CHILDREN EVERYDAY LOW INCOME AS A MATTER OF FACT. AGES 3-5 AND WHEN WE HAVE PARENT MEETINGS WE HAVE 4 MAYBE 5 PARENTS TO COME. BUT YOU THINK WE SHOULD STOP LOVING AND TEACHING THE CHILDREN AND CLOSE DOWN? NO! DON'T SIT THERE AND BLAME PARENTS. YES THEY SHOULD GO TO MEETINGS BUT ME BEING A EDUCATOR I REFUSE TO DO LESS FOR THE CHILDREN I TEACH. BECAUSE THE MORE YOU DO FOR CHILDREN THOSE CHILDREN WILL ONE DAY BE AN ADULT WHO WANT EVER FORGET THOSE PEOPLE WHO CARED FOR THEM. THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. LET'S FOCUS ON THEM PLEASE! I HOPE AND I PRAY THAT THE ADM @ WISD DO WHAT'S RIGHT IT'S NOT THE CHILDREN FAULT. WE AS EDUCATORS CAN'T FELL THE CHILDREN LET'S SUPPORT THEM.
By null
Aug 8, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM CLOSING DOWN WILEY, CLOSING DOWN THAT SCHOOL ISN'T HELPING ANYONES TEST SCORES. HOW ABOUT TRANSFERING SOME OF THOSE TEACHERS FROM LAKE AIR, AND OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN WEST WACO TO WILEY AND PUTTING SOME TEACHERS FROM WILEY AT LAKE AIR!! AND SEE HOW THE SCORES GO THEN BECAUSE CLOSING A SCHOOL??? THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. NO!! DO WHAT YOU CAN TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF PLAN TO HELP THESE CHILDREN. LOOK INTO THE REASONS THESE CHILDREN ARE FAILING AND GO FROM THERE. WHAT DOES THAT SCHOOL BEING CLOSED HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT. LETS MOVE STAFF AROUND WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE "STRONG" TO OUR MINORITY NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL TO HELP OUR CHILDREN. BECAUSE I REALLY DON;T WANT TO THINK THAT RACE IS APART OF THE REASON THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO CLOSE.
By naa
Aug 7, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
why dont we bring athletics back to wiley so the kids can have something to do afterschool instead of going to a empty home I think we are putting way to much on the kids by having a caravan going to the meeting what are we going to war I know in the meeting someone is going to get up an act a fool and act immature in front of the kids . what great role models do the kids have The poor children have gone thru a lot aleady lets stop and look from a different point of view what will help the kids out its nothing to do with the parents anymore it doesnt matter if the school is been in east waco for so many years who cares its about the children period . parents of the children , community leaders shut up and sit down and think about the children
By dee
Aug 7, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
The saying, "One monkey doesn't stop the show" fits. I understand a parent wanting better for their children. However,to say that WISD parents do not want to participate in their children's education is stereotyping. The fact is that in every district you have different types of students, teachers, and parents. Where one parent at a WISD school may not be involved, you have to know another WISD parent is. Yes, the community pulling together is a positive thing, but the community breaks down to each person. This means each person has to do their part to strengthen their community. Needless, to say, I am certain the other school districts experience the same ordeals. Transportation is a big deal for some parents. Sometimes things don't work out as planned. That's life!
By Bob
Aug 7, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this
Closing a school has a tremendous impact on the surrounding community, true. So does a bunch of kids not doing well in school.
Parents or lack of, with absolutely ZERO leadership and parental skills, administration, teachers.
There are your problems.
Give it one more year and if it doesn't happen, close it down.
DO NOT retain one single teacher, principal or staff member. They need to be out of the WISD.
Hopefully if these kids can get into a better situation, they'll do better. God bless the children!
By null
Aug 7, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Null, did you base your decision to remove your child from WISD because of poor attendance during PTA night? That's really showing them!
Of course not! However, it did cement in my mind that I was making the right decision. After all, a school is nothing without parental involvement. If you have active and involved parents, then you are going to have kids who are obviously going to be motivated. THAT is the environment I wanted MY child to be in.
And it was the best move I ever made.
My point is this, parents that want to be involved will be. Period. Transportation my behind- some of those same parents without it sure do find their way to the club. To the grocery store. I'm sorry, but if we are in a neighborhood school system, and you live around the corner from Wiley and STILL don't go, and don't have any idea of any other way to get there, then guess what? You don't WANT to go.
If parents would go and get involved, it's a great way to network with other parents who may be in the same situations as you are in, and then a bond can be formed.
I work in an industry where I'm dealing the poor and downtrodden. I see it. However, there has to be a measure of personal responsibility here.
By dee
Aug 7, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
"...everytime there was something that year, and to say the attendence was poor is an understatement."
Well, Null, the attendance may have very well been poor. BUT, believe it or not there are still parents who would very much like to attend these school functions. My friend right now has a child who attends Wiley. She doesn't have a car but tries her best to make it to every function he is involved in. As you stated, the parents you see now are rushing to the event right after work-which speculates they probably have reliable transportation, which supports my initial post that some parents in East Waco may not have transportation.If they are able to walk to attend a PTA or whatever, it is much easier than to have to hustle a ride with someone.
Null, did you base your decision to remove your child from WISD because of poor attendance during PTA night? That's really showing them!
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