Worst High Schools in Houston

Turns out that sometimes being bad is rewarding. Under Texas Title I Priority Schools Improvement Grants, HISD will try to shore up six of its worst performing high schools. To qualify for this kind of funding these schools had to first be incredibly bad. Bottom five perecent bad and/or sub 60 percent graduation rates. If HISD succeeds they’ll get $1.25-$2 million each for Lee and Sharpstown high schools and smaller ballpark figures for Jones, Kashmere, HP Carter and Contemporary Learning Center.

Once that money is attained, it will mean significant changes for schools, with some options far more radical than others. Schools could be a “turnaround” model which means new principals and 50 percent change in staff. The likely scenario for Lee and Sharpstown is “transformation,” which means 25 percent change in staff. Alternatively the school could be “restarted” or outright closed.

If transformation occurs it will likely mean a school improvement officer would be assigned to Lee and Sharsptown to overview the schools. Whether that does anything to remedy the situation or merely puts another guy in a nice suit on the ground will be an interesting development to follow. Whats interesting is that even Texas appears willing to back away from President Bush’s No Child Left Behind provision which meant less money for bad schools. It took awhile but sometimes if education plans don’t work, things have to change.

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