By Laurie Bettis
HISD Public Information For the second year in a row, Hempstead Elementary and Early Childhood campuses earned recognized status in accordance with the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and according to official data released by the Texas Education Agency in August. According to the data released, the elementary missed exemplary status by only four students. Hempstead Middle School earned an acceptable rating for 2009, only points away from receiving recognized status. However, despite all the academic gains being made at Hempstead ISD, the district, as well as Hempstead High School , have received an unacceptable rating by TEA for 2009 due to the 2008 drop-out rate and the 2009 TAKS scores for one sub-group in math. The high school has filed an appeal to the 2008 drop-out rate and, if the district wins the appeal, the district status would be changed to an acceptable rating. Based on the scores across the district, it is evident that Hempstead ISD is making progress and moving in the right direction to meet the long-term goal to become an exemplary district. Over the past few years, Hempstead ISD has been making great strides to improve the academic scores across the district. Aside from the ratings, Hempstead ISD has a lot to be proud of. Writing scores have been at exemplary status since 2006. Social Studies reached exemplary status in 2008. Reading/English Language Arts has been at recognized status since 2006, and the scores met exemplary status in 2009, according to the Texas Projection Measure (TPM). Math and science have been weak areas in the district in the past, with students struggling to pass the TAKS tests. However, with the dedicated staff at Hempstead ISD, parental support and the help of the community, the district has continued to make great improvements in these areas. The district has maintained acceptable ratings in math since 2006 and reached recognized status in 2009 according the TPM ratings. Science scores have shown major improvements over the past five years. The district went from 38% of all students passing TAKS in 2005 to 63% passing TAKS in 2008. According to the TPM, the district received an acceptable rating in 2009 with 81% passing the science TAKS test. So let the scores speak for themselves, and don't let one little word label a district that has been making great improvements over the past five years. Through TEAMWORK Hempstead ISD will become an exemplary district. |
