Houston Independent School District Leading The Way!

Kudos!  All it takes is just one district to break away from the business as usual and take a stand on this platform that everyone is calling “education reform”.  Well one district did!  An article by Greg Meyers entitled “Key to Student Achievement?  ASPIRE to it” is just the movement that’s needed.  It’s not education reform but education transformation as Meyers calls it.  It not only reviews statistical growth in specific metrics on how the Houston Independent School District is faring but also will take into account value added metrics as the other part of the equation.  Best of all, this district isn’t looking at its progress in terms of what other districts are doing but rather where its own district wants to be…regardless of the rest.  They are setting their own high standards…period and every, single person in the district is accountable and responsible and has a part in the success of their students!  It’s not just the classroom teacher’s responsibility…I see that as “it takes a village to raise a child” approach where all adults first need to understand that we all need to be accountable for every child and once we understand the concept, we begin to incorporate the actual components to make that a reality.

This is very similar to the philosophy that Dr Rick Miller of Kids at Hope certainly would agree…his philosophy that “all kids are capable of success…no exceptions” is supported by the fact that kids need caring adults in their lives.  Any adult who takes a sincere interest in that child’s success will help to influence that child’s vision for their future.  This can be a parent, teacher, cafeteria worker, bus driver, teacher’s aide, etc.  So all adults have the potential in them to make each kid see beyond today and into their future.

I think the HISD is well on their way to success and positive growth!  I hope that other districts don’t play the wait and see game for too long.  The longer they sit on the sidelines, the further these kids remain at the mercy of our politics.  Thank you Greg Meyers for pushing ahead!