Change of Plans

At the last minute tonight I was pulled away from my plans to attend the Plano ISD Town Hall meeting about “proposed” changes to the state accountability system and instead to attend a local Christie Elementary PTA fundraiser at CiCi’s Pizza on Spring Creek and Alma. I received a phone call from the local community leader, volunteer and supporter, Thomas Mendillo, around 5:15 and it didn’t take him long to convince me that my place tonight was to support my PTA and talk with the parents in my own neighborhood. One thing I consistently heard tonight from parents was that they didn’t understand why there was a town hall meeting tonight about changes that haven’t happen yet and were outspoken about the fact that there has to be more pressing issues for the school board to discuss. I have to say I agree with them. A better town hall topic would have been how the school board plans to balance the $17.5 million budget deficit.

Me and Thomas Mendillo

Thank you to Mike the Manager at Cici’s Pizza at Spring Creek and Alma for letting me put up campaign signs and talk to Christie Elementary parents tonight while we raised money for our PTA.

Me and Mike the Cici's Manager

(This is not an endorsement from Cici’s Pizza)

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Solutions – How 21st Century Skills Leads to 21st Century Jobs

Steve Navarre releases his vision of how to prepare Plano ISD schools and students for the 21st century by providing a 21st century education that creates 21st century jobs.

Building on the lead of State Senator Florence Shapiro through her Senate bills 1312 and 1313, Steve believes that Plano ISD can create an environment that promotes technology education that leads to high paying jobs.

If passed, SB 1313 will reward the development of high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs while SB 1312 creates a pilot program at the community college level aimed at targeting high school dropouts and those needing developmental educations. CTE offerings range from auto mechanics to biotechnology, computer assisted drafting and countless other offerings. Steve’s plan targets those CTE that create high paying technology jobs.

As the new 9th -10th grade high school in Murphy opens, the high school boundaries will be redrawn leaving Williams High School with a lower student population in the most economically disadvantaged area of Plano. To ensure that Williams High School is fully utilized and that the bad reputation of Williams from the late 1990s does not return, Steve believes that Plano needs a Magnet style technology high school that serves 2 distinct functions:

1. Provides a technology based Distinguished Achievement Program education for 4-year college bound math, science and engineering students.

2. Vocational training and certificate programs for technical jobs for student entering the workforce after high school graduation.

Williams High School would remain the home school for those within the Williams boundary for 9th and 10th grade but also be the home for the new Williams Tech High that would be open to any student in the district through an application process much like the Magnet schools of Houston and Dallas.

Steve was accepted and attended Booker T Washington High School and the High School for the Engineering Professions his freshman year of high school while living in inner city Houston before moving. The educational foundation he received at Booker T Washington started him down the path that led Steve to be the recipient of the Texas A&M President’s Achievement Scholarship. Steve studied Nuclear Engineering while at Texas A&M.

Steve believes that learning from, and perhaps modeling after, the New Tech High of Coppell ISD would teach education and business leaders how to make the new Williams Tech High successful. Steve has arranged the opportunity for small groups of Plano parents and leaders to take a tour of Coppell’s New Tech High over the coming weeks. If you are interested, please contact Steve at 469-878-8923 or through email at steve@idvote4steve.org.

In addition, a partnership with Collin College fully utilizes the strengths of SB1312 to make sure that each Plano child has the opportunity to not only graduate, but have high paying skills when they do.

To pay for this new program without raising taxes, Steve recommends creating the Plano ISD Technology Foundation, a nonprofit group independent of the PISD to work with to corporations to provide equipment and software. The new Plano ISD Technology Foundation would also work closely with other foundations for securing grant money for the school. In addition, Texas Education Agency has a grant funding for expanding technology and CTE programs in schools that PISD can apply for.

Lastly, Steve recommends that Williams Tech High School students in the 4 year college program include summer internships and job shadowing in 11th and 12th grades. For those not bound for college, Williams Tech High would work with job placement firms to provide jobs for graduating seniors so that they may enter the workforce as productive adults.






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Shiner Sunday was a Success!

I want to give a big "thank you" to Tye and Tory for letting me set up my mobile campaign headquarters today at Love and War in Texas during their “FIRST SHINER SUNDAY OF THE YEAR” event. I met with over 700 people today making new supporters from Plano and new friends from all across Collin County.

Love and War in Texas, like many local businesses support Steve Navarre for the next Plano ISD School Board Trustee in Place 6. Love and War in Texas understands that school district property taxes affect businesses as much, if not more than it affects homeowners. Like all business leaders, they have learned that to be successful, they have to “do more with less.” That is the experience and leadership they want in the next school board trustee. I am the only candidate that brings that real life business experience to Place 6.

Please join us at Love and War in Texas Saturday April 9th at 7:30 for a concert and rally featuring local Texas musician Randy Hopper.

(Tory, Steve and Randy Hopper)

http://www.loveandwarintexas.com/

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With High Expectations comes TAKS Success!

In Texas all 8th graders must pass the reading and math TAKS exams in order to move on to 9th grade. The state does allow each child to take the reading and math test up to three times if they did not pass on the first administration. As a parent of an 8th grader at Armstrong Middle School, I understand the TAKS requirements all too well.

I’m not a big fan of TAKS testing because I feel there is a tendency to teach to the lowest common denominator, which is to “just pass” the test. However, when a high expectation of academic excellence is a priority, students can push beyond just passing the test. Haggard Middle School is a great example.

Haggard Middle School scored 100% on the reading TAKS exam for 8th grade reading. They were 1 of 2 middles schools out of 12 in PISD to hit 100%. At the time of this blog I do not have the name of the other middle school but I congratulate them also!

The average scale score was a 2472. Students need a 2100 to pass and a 2400 to make commended which means that Haggard students mastered at least 90% of the exam. 72% of Haggard’s 8th grade students passed the commended mark.

“This is a testimony that academic excellence is a priority of ours at Haggard, and our students and teachers are working hard to meet the highest of expectations.” - Haggard eNews

Haggard Middle School has shown that with high expectations, Plano students can go beyond passing the test. Although I believe we need a better measure of how students are learning in the classroom and a better way to measure academic accountability, the TAKS system is the rule in Texas. We have to play by the same rules other districts do and will until the laws are changed. Haggard 8th graders prove that regardless of what the state of Texas uses to measure students, that when we teach beyond “just passing” Plano students will excel.

I personally commend the student, teachers and parents at Haggard on a great job and for setting the bar high for the rest of Plano middle schools.




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Don't Buy Stuff

Before I continue blogging about school district fiscal accountability and transparency, I thought I would interject a little humor. In reality, this SNL skit should be required viewing for all elected officials in Washington, Austin, and right here in Plano. Plano needs real business leadership on our school board. Please vote for Steve Navarre on May 9th.








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Plano Academic Accountability?

Cheating? No Homework? No Problem In Plano ISD

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Plano.Plano.ISD.2.958054.html

“According to several Plano Independent School District teachers, they have been informed that beginning next school year, homework will no longer be required for middle school students. And the grades for homework assignments that are assigned will not apply to students' report card grades...

Teachers say there are also some proposed changes concerning cheating, or as the district refers to it, "academic dishonesty." If a middle school student is caught cheating, he or she would be allowed to redo the assignment or complete an alternate assignment. Currently, students caught cheating in the Plano ISD are given a grade of zero on that assignment.”

Although I didn’t see the original airing on CBS last week, a concerned parent approached me with this story at a candidate forum on Tuesday. In disbelief, I promised to look into the matter. The story aired again yesterday morning on Fox 4 while I was traveling to a client in Oklahoma City. As early as 7:00 am, I started receiving calls, text messages and emails from several upset parents.

I have been told by a school district official that I trust that this came about as an open discussion of ideas and options and the recommendation for this type of homework - grading policy shift has not made it to the executive staff or the school board. Regardless, I want to make it very clear to parents, teachers, and taxpayers that I DO NOT support any of the reported changes in homework and grading policies.

Homework is an important aspect of real life learning. Removing homework removes the ability for students to think outside the classroom. How can that be a good change? There is a life of learning outside the classroom and homework reflects that.

The proposed changes concerning cheating trouble me the most. In a society when the head of the IRS openly cheated on his taxes, Plano ISD needs to be extra diligent about encouraging the growth of student character with values and principles. Through a value system that focuses on hard work and integrity, we may once again live to see an America where corporate failure is not rewarded with taxpayer bailouts.

Like everyone, I hear a lot of talk about teaching for the 21st century. My vision of is that as we teach students for 21st century jobs that we don’t forget the American values that brought us this far; hard work, honor, integrity and responsibility.

“The Executive Director for Government and Community Relations for the Plano Independent School District issued the following statement: "The Plano ISD middle school grading and assessment committee began the study of grading and assessment practices at the middle school level in September 2007. The objective of their work was to insure that grading practices are consistent with the philosophy that grades should be our most accurate reflection of student knowledge and achievement. These findings are being considered in the district's administrative review process."

I am very much in favor of an open exchange of ideas but I have to ask why have we used tax payer dollars to fund a committee for a year and a half that is recommending a shift that clearly doesn’t support the values of teachers and parents. With a $17+ million deficit is the best use of district resources and time? Not only does this lack academic accountability, it is fiscally irresponsible. Plano ISD needs a change. It's time for new leadership. Vote for Steve Navarre May 9th.

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Support Local Government Transparency

Even without as $17 million deficit, it is important for taxpayers to see where Plano ISD money is being spent. An online registry of all expenses will bring accountability to every district purchase.

From the Texas Taxpayers website:

http://www.texastaxpayers.com/transparency

"Sign the petition to send a message to your legislator!

(taken from the website)
As a taxpayer in Texas, I want all levels of government to post their expenditures online and as close to real-time as possible. This will give all citizens not only the tools for accountability necessary to make wise decisions, but increase our confidence in the effective use of our tax dollars.

In 2007 the Legislature gave Texas taxpayers access to information about how our state tax dollars are being spent – expenditures, grants and contracts. Now it's time for that same level of fiscal transparency to be available with our local taxes as well.

The Legislature should ensure all governmental entities in Texas post their expenditures in an easily accessible and searchable format that can found on the front-page of their websites."




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Physically Fit Texas Students Do Well On Achievement Tests

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/031009dntexfitness.1c4c6c28.html

This is great news if we can get the group in Austin to understand and support more physical fitness in our schools. As a supporter of the NFL Network's "Keep Gym in School" program (http://www.keepgyminschool.com/), I have openly argued with Texas House Education Committee staffers about the importance of physical fitness in schools and why the state should make it a priority.

As a Plano school board trustee, I will work here in the district and in Austin to give students every opportunity to succeed.



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Plano ISD and Sex Education

After last week’s Texas Freedom Network report about sex education in Texas school, I have had heard a lot of parent's comments and questions about what is taught in Plano ISD schools. Below is an article from last week in the Plano Star Courier that addresses those questions. As a parent with 3 boys in school, I make it a point to head to the schools, watch the videos and ask the counselors question about what is taught in the classroom. Parents need to be active in the process. The information should be accurate and age appropriate. As a candidate, I support local control of what is taught in our public school, including sexual education.

http://www.planostar.com/articles/2009/03/09/plano_star-courier/news/22.txt



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Plano Star Courier Article