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119-501: As of February 2024, the district operates 14 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 3 high schools, a Headstart center, and 3 other specialized and alternative learning centers. Since April 2014, it has been under direct state control, with a superintendent and board of managers appointed by the Texas Education Agency . The original Beaumont Independent School District, with Beaumont High School as its senior high school,

238-717: A $ 389 million bond issue, which the school district used to renovate schools, build new ones, and build the Carrol A. "Butch" Thomas Educational Support Center, a stadium for the use of all district high schools that was named after Thomas after he announced his retirement. Some money from the bond issue could not be accounted for, and some district staff and suppliers were found to have misused district funds, including two employees who pleaded guilty to embezzling over $ 4 million. Following several investigations including monitoring of testing after admissions from staff that students had received assistance including changes to answer sheets,

357-403: A 1998 evaluation that led to a national reevaluation of the program. The authors stated that research concluded that the current program had little meaningful impact. In 2011, Time magazine's columnist Joe Klein called for the elimination of Head Start, citing an internal report that the program is costly and makes a negligible impact on children's well-being over time. Klein wrote, "You take

476-546: A 4-point scale (1—not yet to 4—excels. Family risk factor indicators (developed by the State Department of Education) included single parent, unemployed parent, teenage parent, parental loss (divorce/death), low parental school achievement, food insufficiency. Group 3 had higher literacy, math and science scores than the other groups. Children in the high-risk group had significantly lower literacy, math, and science scores than those who had three or fewer risk factors. Head Start

595-456: A child increases the probability by between 13% and 86% that the child will meet age appropriate expectations. Regression discontinuity design was used to measure program impact without denying a control group the opportunity to attend Head Start. The analysis compared three-year-olds enrolled in Head Start to four-year-olds who returned to Head Start for their second year. This also eliminated

714-448: A cost of $ 18,000, including a 144-gallon freshwater aquarium. Jones-Cowart Stadium on the campus of the former Smiley High School, now North Forest High School, served as the district's stadium for sporting events. The school district provided transportation to any elementary, middle, or high school student living over 2 miles (3.2 km) from his or her assigned school. The district may have added .1 miles (0.16 km) to establish

833-565: A crime. Head Start may increase the likelihood that African-American males graduate from high school. Separately the authors noted larger effects for younger siblings who attended Head Start after an older sibling. In 1998, Congress mandated an intensive study of the effectiveness of Head Start, the "Head Start Impact Study," which studied a target population of 5,000 3- and 4-year-old children. The study measured Head Start's effectiveness as compared to other forms of community support and educational intervention, as opposed to comparing Head Start to

952-609: A handover to HISD would be beneficial for the NFISD students. An editorial in the Houston Chronicle argued that the district ought to be shut down, and that parents in the NFISD region should try to enroll their children in HISD schools, as HISD allows children living in neighboring districts to attend HISD schools tuition-free. The editorial stated that once HISD absorbs the NFISD territory, it ought to begin offering school bus services between

1071-427: A high school for black students, Hebert High School . South Park ISD included the wealthiest neighborhoods and could also draw on tax funds from the city's petrochemical plants, while Beaumont ISD was relatively poor. This disparity was exacerbated by white flight . Both school districts were the subject of integration efforts in the 1970s, but whereas the majority-black Beaumont ISD showed progress toward integration,

1190-411: A job. 92% of parents surveyed said that Head Start helped them to enroll in an educational or training program. 99% of families surveyed said that Head Start helped them to improve their parenting skills, such as responding to children's misbehavior and helping their children to learn. These results indicate that Head Start has a positive impact on the whole family, beyond the individual children who attend

1309-424: A lottery using ping-pong balls, and effective with the 1982–1983 school year Hebert and Forest Park were merged to form a single integrated high school, West Brook Senior High School . (South Park High School was subsequently also merged into West Brook.) In the aftermath of the court-ordered integration and after West Brook won the state football championship in its first year, South Park voters declined to re-elect

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1428-560: A lower tax rate. As of 2003 the NFISD attendance zone had very little industry. In 2006 the area within NFISD had the lowest property value per student ratio in Harris County, and less than half the average in the state. Within the district, in 2006 the typical single-family house was appraised at $ 51,106 ($ 77241.09 when adjusted for inflation). 42 of the 15,637 houses within the NFISD boundaries had an appraised value greater than $ 200,000 ($ 302277.98 when adjusted for inflation). In 2007, of

1547-438: A nationally representative sample of programs across 23 states. Children were randomly assigned to either a Head Start group (participants) or a non-Head Start group (control group). The children in the two groups were similar in all measured characteristics at program entry. Pre-participation assessments of all critical outcome measures were taken. Control group children optionally enrolled in non-Head Start programs. Nearly half of

1666-816: A nonintervention alternative. Head Start Impact Study First Year Findings were released in June 2005. Study participants were assigned to either Head Start or other parent–selected community resources for one year. 60% of the children in the control group were placed in other preschools. The first report showed consistent small to moderate advantages to 3-year-old children including pre-reading, pre-vocabulary and parent reports of children's literacy skills. No significant impacts were found for oral comprehension, phonological awareness, or early mathematics skills for either age group. Fewer positive benefits were found for 4-year-olds. The benefits improved with early participation and varied across racial and ethnic groups. These analyses did not assess

1785-601: A part of the Hilliard zone in August 2008. From the late 1980s, the district had experienced recurring financial and academic problems. In 1988 the TEA assigned a monitor to NFISD to deal with the school board and the finances; Ericka Mellon of the Houston Chronicle said that the school board was "meddling." On October 12, 1989, the Houston Chronicle printed an article, "North Forest district shows off its 'other' side in tour", about

1904-574: A per-capita cost of $ 2,000 to $ 3,000 (2011 dollars). Under the full-time program, enrollment dropped to under 400,000 by the early 1970s. Enrollment reached close to 1 million children by 2011. The program has experienced underfunding and under-enrollment in recent years. In 2023, there were about 820,000 children enrolled in the program. The Head Start Policy Council makes up part of the Head Start governing body. Policy Council must be composed of two types of representatives: parents of currently enrolled children and community representatives. At least 51% of

2023-507: A plan to have all NFISD schools be charter managed instead of having NFISD merged into HISD. Michael Feinberg, the creator of KIPP, had created this plan. Jackson Lee voiced approval, while Senfronia Thompson, the House representative, and Rodney Ellis and John Whitmire , members of the Texas Senate , expressed reservations. The TEA did not accept the proposal. According to Feinberg, "It seemed

2142-639: A preliminary to making its decision, the Justice Department asked HISD for information on how it would integrate NFISD into its school board boundaries. On June 13, 2013 the HISD board voted unanimously to absorb NFISD. That month, an NFISD lawsuit against the TEA was dismissed. On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned several portions of the Voting Rights Act , so that

2261-466: A professor of psychology and director of the Yale Child Study Center . They designed a comprehensive child development program intended to help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. Rather than proceeding with a smaller pilot program, the decision was made to roll it out on a large scale with the enrollment of 500,000 children in 2,500 communities. The following year it

2380-524: A reasonable boundary. It also provided transportation for AM and PM kindergarten students around noon. If students faced hazards (such as construction areas and multilane highways) that prevented safe travel to the assigned schools, the Department of Transportation would decide to allow bus travel for those students. The district had a fleet of fifty school buses that made 111 runs daily and served about 3,300 students. Including maintenance and service vehicles,

2499-646: A school facility. Classes at HISD-operated NFISD schools began on August 26, 2013. As of October 2013 , according to Spencer, HISD had spent $ 25 million to cover the sudden annexation and renovation costs, and the state intended to cover those costs and give HISD a further $ 35 million for at least the following five years. The HISD furniture service department auctioned off items from closed NFISD schools in May 2014. The NFISD territory covered 33 square miles (85 km ) of land in northeast Harris County , including small parts of northeast Houston (including

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2618-631: A several months' investigation of the school district for malfeasance. His discoveries included misappropriation of federal grants by the Special Education Director, Dr. Ruth Watson, who had subsequently been reassigned by the board while retaining her full salary, and that the Vice President of the Board of Education for NFISD, Allen Provost, had a personal relationship with one of the special education teachers. From 2008 to 2011, North Forest ISD

2737-591: A situation in which they won't have any say in who represents them for the next three years." Silvia Brooks Williams, a former NFISD board member, said that HISD ignored an effort to add two board seats for North Forest and to give NFISD residents their own HISD representatives. For the 2013-2014 school year, Fonwood Elementary School was repurposed as an early childhood center, and Thurgood Marshall Early Childhood Center and Elmore Middle School were repurposed as elementary schools. Hilliard and Shadydale elementaries were also annexed into HISD, but Lakewood Elementary School

2856-416: A spokesperson for HISD, said that ultimately 74 of about 500 NFISD teachers were rehired into HISD. HISD assumed control of all facilities, debts, and liabilities of NFISD, including $ 60 million in maintenance tax and general obligation debt. Senfronia Thompson said that the assets included a high school and athletic facility scheduled to be built with $ 80 million in state funds. Spencer said that

2975-400: A spot. The tiers are based on the sponsor's rank and are, in order, E1-E4, E5, E6-E7, and E8-E9. The 2011 federal budget for Head Start was $ 8.1 billion. 85% was to be devoted to direct services and no more than 15% on administration, serving approximately one million students. The budget was $ 12 billion in 2023. Local grantees must provide a 20% cash/in-kind match. Each local grantee

3094-409: A statistical analysis of two years of Forest Brook TAKS test scores by The Dallas Morning News in June 2007 which examined two years of scores from Forest Brook revealed patterns that the newspaper considered suspicious. In Spring 2007 state monitors supervised TAKS tests at Forest Brook, and passing rates on 11th-grade TAKS tests declined from 2006. In 2008 outside monitors reported poor management at

3213-400: A water hose. Forest Brook students shared the campus of the district's other high school, M. B. Smiley High School , until Forest Brook re-opened in the spring. In March 2008 North Forest ISD announced that it would consolidate the two high schools to form North Forest High School and close Tidwell Elementary School, merging it into Hilliard. Pupils formerly zoned to Tidwell started being

3332-578: Is James M. Simmons , a former president of Lamar University. In April 2015 the board of managers named John Frossard, superintendent of the Wichita Falls Independent School District , as district superintendent. He announced his retirement in February 2019. In April 2019, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools, Dr. Shannon Allen was unanimously selected by the school board as the lone finalist for Superintendent. The school board

3451-627: Is a troubled district. Not only is it last in Harris County in SAT scores and passing rates on the TAKS test, but it ranks among the worst in the state." In late 2006 the TEA assigned two teachers to monitor two NFISD campuses that were rated "unacceptable" by the TEA. A February 2007 report by the Texas Education Agency, based on data from 2005 derived mainly from the testimony of school officials, said that Forest Brook High School had no cheating; however,

3570-705: Is associated with significant gains in test scores. Head Start significantly reduces the probability that a child will repeat a grade. In 2002, Garces, Thomas and Currie used data from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics to review outcomes for close to 4,000 participating adults followed from childhood and compared with non-participant siblings. Among European Americans, adults who had attended Head Start were significantly more likely to complete high school, attend college and possibly have higher earnings in their early twenties. African-American adults who had attended Head Start were significantly less likely to be booked/charged for

3689-400: Is largely income-based, although each local program includes other eligibility criteria, such as disabilities and services needed by other family members. Families must earn less than 100% of the federal poverty level . Programs may accept up to 10% of the total children over poverty given the program has unfilled spots and the over poverty is less than 130%. The federal poverty line measure

Beaumont Independent School District - Misplaced Pages Continue

3808-485: Is needed for several program functions, from new hires to the program, as well as for the budget and spending. The Council can serve the program in ways that the others in the program cannot, as it is the only body that is part of Head Start that can do fundraising. In addition to monthly meetings, Policy Council may at times need to hold special or emergency meetings or have a phone vote. Policy Council representatives are required to attend classroom meetings and report back to

3927-643: Is not absolute, and it changes yearly to account for inflation. Families may also qualify under a categorical eligibility category—receipt of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security funds, or Homeless, as per the McKinney-Vento Act . Up to 10% of any funded program's enrollment can be from higher income families or families experiencing emergency situations. All programs are required to provide services to children with disabilities, who must comprise 10% of their total enrollment. Per

4046-412: Is not enough government funding to provide Head Start for all eligible families, so to enroll in Head Start, families must apply and then be chosen. In 2017, there were 1 million children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start, but there were about 19 million children under five in the United States and around 3 million children under five living in poverty. Head Start covers families living below

4165-540: Is required to obtain an annual financial audit, if it receives more than $ 500,000 in federal support. Grants are awarded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Offices and the American Indian – Alaska Native and Migrant and Seasonal Program Branches directly to local public agencies, private organizations, Indian tribes and school systems. The individual Head Start classrooms/centers "repay"

4284-552: Is that the decline is because Head Start participants are likely to attend lower-quality schools, which fail to reinforce Head Start gains. Fryer and Levitt found no evidence that Head Start participation had lasting effect on test scores in the early years of school. A 2010 report by the Department of Health and Human Services , Head Start Impact , examined the cognitive development, social-emotional development, and physical health outcomes of 4,667 three- and four-year-old children in

4403-437: Is the oldest and largest program of its kind. The program's services and resources are designed to foster stable family relationships, enhance children's physical and emotional well-being , and establish an environment to develop strong cognitive skills. The transition from preschool to elementary school imposes diverse developmental challenges that include requiring the children to engage successfully with their peers outside

4522-510: The Houston Chronicle reported that an independent auditor had told the trustees that the district was close to bankruptcy, and three days later that the TEA had investigated the district for possible illegality in the use of construction funds for general purposes. On February 4, a trustee requested to change his "Yes" vote for re-instating Simpson to a "No". The TEA denied the district's decision to reinstate Simpson. In March that year,

4641-469: The Houston Federation of Teachers president, stated that HISD could not publicly accept the district since it would appear greedy, nor could it publicly reject NFISD since it would appear to be racist against black people. Fallon argued that HISD saw an economic advantage to absorbing NFISD. In March 2013 Harmony Public Schools , KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program), and Yes Prep together presented

4760-503: The Kendleton Independent School District . Chris Tritico, a lawyer representing North Forest, accused the state of only trying to annex black-populated school districts. On July 8, 2011, the TEA announced that North Forest High School and North Forest ISD would receive an "Academically Unacceptable" rating and the district would be assigned a "Non-Accredited-Revoked" accreditation for the school year 2011-2012 and

4879-537: The Nixon Administration . Today the program is in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) division of DHHS. In 1994, the Early Head Start program was established to serve children from birth to age three, in an effort to capitalize on research evidence that showed that the first three years are critical to children's long-term development. In the early years, some 700,000 children enrolled at

Beaumont Independent School District - Misplaced Pages Continue

4998-580: The Northeast Houston Independent School District . It was also named the East and Mount Houston Independent School District . It began with a single school. The district originally had a low-income rural white population. Schools were segregated until the late 1960s. By the 1970s, when the area was suburban and still mostly white, the state mandated racial integration of schools. African-American families moved to North Forest for

5117-537: The Upward Bound Program, is also credited with initiating the Head Start program. Johnson started the War on Poverty shortly after President Kennedy's assassination. The murder shook the nation, and Johnson attempted to gain public trust by passing legacy legislation during the subsequent months. Johnson received an initial briefing from Walter Heller , who informed Johnson of Kennedy's poverty program. By March 1964,

5236-477: The 1970s Billy Reagan , the then superintendent of the Houston Independent School District , considered bringing North Forest into his district, but the Texas Education Agency told him that desegregation laws made it illegal for two minority-population school districts to merge. In addition, area residents wanted to maintain local control of their schools. According to Reagan, he also asked

5355-408: The 1970s. In May 2013 HISD held a job fair for NFISD employees. That month non-contract employees received notice that their jobs would end on June 30, 2013. HISD offered bonuses of $ 5,000 for experienced teachers who were willing to teach at former NFISD schools. Greg Groogan of KRIV said, "There will almost certainly be massive teacher turnover as a consequence of the merger." Jason Spencer,

5474-602: The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories. Related health services include health screenings and check-ups, eye examinations and dental check-ups. Meals and snacks are also provided, which can help ease financial pressure on families and improve children's diets. Family advocates assist parents in accessing community resources. All services are specific to each family's culture and experience. Head Start programs also seek to support children's social emotional development. Programs and services include: Eligibility

5593-576: The Head Start Act (2007), programs may elect to serve families whose income is between 100-130% under certain circumstances. Programs must also complete additional reporting requirements if this is appropriate for their community. Military families stationed abroad can apply for Sure Start. Sure Start is the military version of Head Start and is overseen by the Department of Defense Education Activity. There are four priority tiers for Sure Start, and like Head Start, not all eligible families are guaranteed

5712-511: The NFISD area and the current HISD territory. The school district said that it would oppose the closure order. Sheila Jackson Lee , a local congressperson, also expressed her opposition to the closure. Harold Dutton , a member of the Texas House of Representatives , said that the TEA did not do enough to save the district, while Debbie Ratcliffe, the spokesperson of the TEA, said that the TEA could not get NFISD to make sufficient progress. As

5831-413: The NFISD district administration building were closed for repairs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that it would pay 75% of the damage costs sustained as a result of Allison. On March 18, 2003 NFISD had a budget of $ 65 million during that year; about $ 50 million came from the state and the rest came from property taxes. On July 20, 2007, teenagers vandalized Forest Brook High School with

5950-520: The Northeast Education First community group asked for the state to fire the school board; Governor Rick Perry denied the request. On March 26 the district stated that it would lay off 90 teachers to try to reduce its budget crisis. The TEA estimated that the district would have a $ 17 million debt by August 2008. On July 31, 2008, Wayne Dolcefino of ABC 13 KTRK in Houston reported on

6069-577: The Policy Council with issues and needs of the classroom. They may also be asked to sit in on interviews as Head Start requires that a Policy Council representative be present for all interviews. The officers of Policy Council include vice-chairperson, secretary, and vice-secretary. Classrooms are also able to elect alternate Policy Council reps in case the main rep is unable to attend the meetings. Head Start serves over 1 million children and their families each year in urban and rural areas in all 50 states,

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6188-443: The Policy Council. The Policy Council is required to meet once each month. The term follows the federal government fiscal year, running November–November. Service on the Policy Council board is limited to at most five one year terms. The meetings are conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules . The meeting day and time is agreed upon during the first meeting of the term year and may be adjusted as needed. The Policy Council approval

6307-578: The State of Texas no longer required clearance from the Department of Justice before shutting down North Forest. The following day, U.S. District Judge David Hittner rejected a claim that allowing the closure of NFISD would violate the legal rights of voters from racial and ethnic minority groups. On June 28 the Texas Supreme Court declined to stop the merger, ending the district's final appeal against closure. NFISD officially closed on July 1, 2013. NFISD

6426-492: The TEA from 2008 to 2011. On March 9, 2007, the NFISD board voted 4-3 to terminate Dr. James Simpson, the superintendent. In May, the state ordered the district to reinstate Simpson, saying that he had been denied due process . In November that year the TEA appointed an academic overseer to monitor the district; the TEA had sent a financial overseer in March. On January 23, 2008, the trustees voted to rehire Simpson. On January 28,

6545-431: The TEA had indicated financial and governance problems at NFISD. Dr. Robert Sanborn, the president and CEO of the organization Children at Risk , described the state of affairs as "inexcusable", with both district high schools posting poor state test scores considered to be poor and the lowest SAT scores in the Houston area. Also in 2006 Dan Feldstein of the Houston Chronicle wrote: "By many measures, North Forest ...

6664-403: The TEA to also reconsider the closure of their district. In March Scott said he would give NFISD another year to correct its problems. Edna Forte, the superintendent, later said that state officials had nonetheless already made up their minds to have the district closed no matter what gains she made. In February 2013, Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams said that the one-year reprieve

6783-531: The Texas Education Agency announced in April 2014 that it would take over the district. A conservator was appointed to manage the district and on July 14, 2014, Vern Butler, former interim superintendent of the El Paso Independent School District , was named interim superintendent at Beaumont, with a seven-member board of managers temporarily replacing the elected board of trustees. Among the managers

6902-823: The average Head Start teacher made $ 21,000 per year, compared to the public school teacher average of $ 43,000. Teachers are also required to complete a (CDA) Child Development Associate certificate. While Head Start is a national program, the implementation is up to individual states. Head Start programs typically operate independently from local school districts. Most often they are administered through local social-services agencies. Classes are generally small, with fewer than ten enrollees per adult staff member. Individual programs develop their own academic and social curricula, following federal performance standards. A 2020 study found that cohorts that attended Head Start had higher incomes and years of education as adults than similar children who did not attend. A 2021 study found that

7021-473: The benefits' durability. In 1975, Seitz, Abelson, Levine and Zigler compared disadvantaged children enrolled and not enrolled in Head Start, using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT). The participants were low-income inner-city black children whose unemployed, economically disadvantaged parents were considered unskilled. The Head Start children had attended for at least five months at

7140-526: The bond tax rate was $ 0.027 per $ 100 of appraised valuation. In the 2023–24 school year, the district operated the following schools: High Schools (Grades 9–12) Middle Schools (Grades 6–8) Elementary Schools (Grades K–5) In addition, as required, the district operates the Jefferson County Youth Academy, a juvenile justice alternative education program for students aged 10–16 or until graduation. In addition to former high schools,

7259-453: The campuses. Isa Dadoush, the former HISD general construction manager, said that the poor condition of the NFISD campuses was proof that the takeover was the best outcome. HISD began holding summer school for NFISD students, and extended the coverage of its summer free meals program to North Forest. On July 1, 2013, Grier posted a message on Twitter stating that "75 percent of North Forest's school buses were unsafe to drive" and therefore

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7378-420: The children exposed to more generous Head Start funding had substantially improved test scores relative to children that were not exposed to generous Head Start funding. Another 2021 study found that students enrolled in Head Start ended up having substantially higher high school completion, college enrollment and college completion rates than comparable children who were not enrolled in Head Start. The authors of

7497-615: The cognitive, health, and parenting domains, and for 3-year-olds in the social-emotional domain. However, the benefits of access to Head Start at age four are largely absent by 1st grade for the program population as a whole. For 3-year-olds, there are few sustained benefits, although access to the program may lead to improved parent-child relationships through 1st grade, a potentially important finding for children's longer-term development." In an op-ed piece in The New York Times , "Head Start Falls Further Behind", Besharov and Call discuss

7616-669: The construction of four schools. On March 1, 1998, the district issued $ 46.9 million worth of the approved bonds. It used $ 5 million to refund older bonds at a favorable interest rate and the remainder to construct B. C. Elmore Middle School, East Houston Intermediate School (now Hilliard Elementary School), Keahey Intermediate School (Marshall Early Childhood Center at the time of NFISD closure), and Shadydale Elementary School. In 1999 voters approved another about $ 40 million NFISD bond. In June 2001 Tropical Storm Allison hit Houston, damaging six NFISD schools. Forest Brook High School sustained heavy damage; it, Lakewood Elementary School, and

7735-455: The control-group children enrolled in other preschool programs. Outcome measures covered cognitive development, social-emotional development, health status and access to health care, and parenting practices. Head Start students were split into two cohorts – 3-year-olds with two years of Head Start and 4-year-olds with one year of Head Start. The study found: The HSIS study concludes, "Head Start has benefits for both 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds in

7854-576: The district "clings to isolation" despite its proximity to Downtown. Helen Wheatley, who served as the Houston Federation for Teachers staff representative for NFISD, said then that while the community was an "urban area", the NFISD zone "[had] a country feeling to it". Until its dissolution NFISD was the poorest district in Harris County. During a period when NFISD received $ 1,711 per student in property taxes, nearby Deer Park Independent School District received $ 7,021 per student despite having

7973-436: The district and "security violations" related to TAKS testing. Also around 2007, the average SAT score of high schoolers in the district, 748 out of a possible 1600, was among the lowest in the state. Eight of the district's 11 schools received the TEA rating "unacceptable." That school year a teacher of "technology applications" did not receive any working computers until March. NFISD was rated " academically unacceptable " by

8092-561: The district began removing its items from the headquarters. The previous district headquarters had opened in 1964. It was damaged in Tropical Storm Allison in 2001; the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts stated that the 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m ) facility was destroyed as a result of the flood. Langstead Elementary, which had been constructed in 1968, was used as a temporary administration building. By 2003 NFISD

8211-616: The district for three years. In 1994, as a result of continued white flight to particular neighborhoods, a black majority was again elected to the board, which introduced neighborhood school zoning with a promise to ensure access to superior schools for all students. The board appointed Carrol "Butch" Thomas, superintendent of the North Forest Independent School District in Houston, as the district's first black superintendent. He remained for 16 years, until 2012. Racially charged political struggles over representation on

8330-710: The district formerly operated the following elementary and middle schools: As of 2020 the district had a rate of 46 student suspensions per 100 students, the highest rate of any Texas school district, six times the Texas average, and significantly the largest of any Texas school district with at least 1,000 students. Head Start (program) Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive early childhood education , health, nutrition , and parent involvement services to low-income children and families. It

8449-445: The district trying to create a positive impression in the media. The state again monitored the district in 2001. Ericka Mellon of the Houston Chronicle wrote in 2007: "The story has been the same for years in this small, poor, mostly black school district in northeast Houston: Financial problems, shoddy recordkeeping and low test scores prompt sanctions from the state. Employees get indicted on criminal charges. The school board fires

8568-455: The district was required to tow these buses to a maintenance barn. Portions of the NFISD attendance zone were added to the Houston Independent School District trustee zones 2 and 8. The next scheduled board election for those two districts was in 2015. Dianna Wray of the Houston Press wrote that "the voters of North Forest have gone from having an entire board elected directly by them to

8687-450: The district would likely sell any unused property. Debbie Ratcliffe, a TEA spokesperson, said that state officials would ensure that HISD did not have too high of a burden placed on it. In July 2013 the district started a 45-day cleanup effort of NFISD campuses. Terry Grier , the superintendent of HISD, said that the district safety issues at North Forest would require HISD to spend $ 3 million. The district used TEA funding to renovate

8806-517: The district-operated schools, NFISD residents were eligible to apply to YES Prep Schools 's North Forest campus. After spring 2008 the district combined Forest Brook High School and M. B. Smiley High School into North Forest High School , initially located at the Forest Brook campus. The district headquarters at the time of closure was at 6010 Little York Road. One week before the July 1, 2013 closure,

8925-420: The family network, adjust to the space of a classroom, and meet the expectations the school setting provides. Launched in 1965 by its creator and first director Jule Sugarman and Bernice H. Fleiss, Head Start was originally conceived as a catch-up summer school program that would teach low-income children in a few weeks what they needed to know to start elementary school. The Head Start Act of 1981 expanded

9044-440: The federal courts. Because of the issues, many parents in the NFISD area enrolled their children in state charter schools or moved out of the district area. Senfronia Thompson , a Texas House of Representatives member serving portions of the NFISD area, pointed out in 2013 that in the early 2000s state laws had been changed, making it easier for the state to close poorly performing school districts, such as Wilmer-Hutchins and

9163-873: The federal government has funded large-scale evaluations of Head Start and Early Head Start. Results from the Early Head Start evaluation are particularly informative, as study participants were randomly assigned to either the Early Head Start group or a control group. Early Head Start demonstrated modest improvements in children's development and parent beliefs and behavior." A 1995 within–family analysis compared subjects with nonparticipant siblings. Mothers who had themselves been enrolled in Head Start were compared to adult sisters who were not. Currie and Thomas separately analyzed white, black and Hispanic participants. White children showed larger and longer lasting improvements than black children. "Head Start Fade", in which significant initial impacts quickly fade, has often been observed, as early as second and third grade. One hypothesis

9282-485: The federal poverty line, but there 65% of children under the age of 6 having both their parents (or one parent, if they are a single parent) in the workforce. Hotz and Wiswall’s research found that for two-parent households, childcare is the most expensive cost outside their rent or mortgage; in perspective, the median percent of income that goes towards childcare is 30%. North Forest Independent School District North Forest Independent School District ( NFISD )

9401-406: The final sample. Of these children, 446 had entered Head Start at age 3 and enrolled for a year (Group 1); 498 had been entered at age 4 and enrolled for a year (Group 2); and 316 children had been enrolled for 2 years, entering at age 3 (Group 3). Academic outcome measures in literacy, math and science were collected based on the Head Start and Early Childhood Program Observational Checklist rating on

9520-434: The grant through a program known as InKind. The Inkind program is a way to get their parents and their students working together on out of class studies. All lead teachers must have a bachelor's degree or be working towards one. Most have completed six or more courses in early-childhood education. By 2013, all teachers were to have associate degrees in a related field and half must have bachelor's degrees . As of 2003,

9639-635: The issue of selection bias because both groups chose to attend Head Start as three-year-olds. A randomized control study of the pre-k program serving socioeconomically disadvantaged children in Tennessee found short-term gains in language, literacy and math outcomes for pre-k participants compared with children who did not participate, which was also confirmed by a discontinuity analysis (Lip, Farran, Bilbrey, Hofer, & Dong, 2011). Lee collected data across sixty Head Start classrooms in 2007 and 2008. A sample of 1,260 children ages three to four were selected as

9758-581: The legislation, now known as the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 , had been prepared for Congress. The legislation included training, educational, and service programs for communities, including the Job Corps . The Office of Economic Opportunity 's Community Action Program launched Project Head Start as an eight-week summer program in 1965. The program was led by Dr. Robert Cooke, a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University , and Dr. Edward Zigler ,

9877-534: The majority-white South Park ISD attracted less attention and both white parents and local federal judge Joe Fisher resisted integration. Redrawn attendance boundaries as mandated by the federal government in 1970 caused white families to abandon affected neighborhoods. A choice program did not result in desegregation, and the district board resisted an order to devise a plan to achieve it. As a result of rulings by federal district judge Robert Parker, that August students through eighth grade were assigned schools by means of

9996-554: The members of this group must be the parents of currently enrolled children (see 45 CFR 1306.3(h) for a definition of a Head Start Parent). All parent members of the Policy Council stand for election or re-election annually through individual parent groups. Grantees/Delegates are required to provide proportionate representation to parents in all program options and settings. If agencies operate programs serving different geographical regions or ethnic groups, they must ensure that all groups being served will have an equal opportunity to serve on

10115-405: The million or so poorest 3- and 4-year-old children and give them a leg up on socialization and education by providing preschool for them; if it works, it saves money in the long run by producing fewer criminals and welfare recipients ... it is now 45 years later. We spend more than $ 7 billion providing Head Start to nearly 1 million children each year. And finally there is indisputable evidence about

10234-600: The neighborhoods of East Houston , Northwood Manor, Dorchester Place, Royal Glen, Fontaine, Scenic Woods , Melbourne Place, Kentshire, Henry Place, Baker Place, Glenwood Forest, Royal Oak Terrace, Houston Suburban Heights, Warwick Place, Chatwood Place, Townly Place, Wayside Village, and Settegast ) and parts of unincorporated Harris County, including Dyersdale . The area is about 20 miles (32 km) from Downtown Houston , and south of George Bush Intercontinental Airport . Jan Jarboe wrote in 1986 in Texas Monthly that

10353-536: The new school year began, Ivory Mayhorn, the head of a group campaigning for the salvation of the district, accused the TEA of discriminating against North Forest. The United States Department of Justice still had to approve the closure. In February 2012, Robert Scott, the TEA commissioner, reconsidered a proposed closure of the Premont Independent School District and decided to let that district stay open for one more year. NFISD officials asked

10472-470: The one black member of the school board, a Lamar University mathematics professor, and defeated a proposal to merge with the Beaumont ISD; black voters in that school district helped defeat the measure because the district had allowed them considerable autonomy in administering the segregated black schools. The board of Beaumont ISD then voted in August 1983 to dissolve their district, as a result of which it

10591-400: The perceived quality of the schools. After desegregation, many white families moved to other communities along U.S. Highway 59 , such as Aldine , Humble , and Porter , and African-American families became the majority and gained political control of NFISD. By the late 1970s it was one of the largest black-run school districts in the state; on October 12, 1989, it became the largest. In

10710-530: The program's effectiveness, provided by the Department of Health and Human Services: Head Start simply does not work." W. Steven Barnett , director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University , rebutted Klein, "Weighing all of the evidence and not just that cited by partisans on one side or the other, the most accurate conclusion is that Head Start produces modest benefits including some long-term gains for children." There

10829-484: The program. In 2014, CCR Analytics published the results of their study of 49,467 children assessed in the 2012–2013 school year from 81 Head Start programs throughout the state of California (more than 50% of the entire California Head Start population). Participation in the study was open to all California Head Start programs who used the DRDP-PS 2010 assessment tool. The study found that providing two years of Head Start to

10948-586: The program. The program was revised and reauthorized in December 2007. As of late 2005 , more than 22 million children had participated. As of June 30, 2023, the current director of Head Start is Dr. Khari Garvin. Head Start began as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson 's Great Society campaign. Its justification came from the staff of the President's Council of Economic Advisers . Stan Salett , civil rights organizer, national education policy adviser, and creator of

11067-851: The result. The controls tested at home scored the lowest, apparently due to anxiety from having an unfamiliar person in their homes. The Head Start children were unaffected by the environmental factor. In evaluating this study vs. others, the relatively small sample size should be noted: 20 children vs. thousands in other studies. A 2005 review of the literature by Barnett and Hustedt found "mixed, but generally positive, evidence regarding Head Start's long-term benefits. Although studies typically find that increases in IQ fade out over time, many other studies also find decreases in grade retention and special education placements. Sustained increases in school achievement are sometimes found, but in other cases flawed research methods produce results that mimic fade-out. In recent years,

11186-516: The school board continued during his tenure. During the 1980s and 1990s the city continued to consolidate high schools; the buildings of South Park High School and French High School both became middle schools, with French being merged with Beaumont-Charlton-Pollard, which was renamed Central High School . The city was granted unitary status in 2007, indicating that the schools had been successfully desegregated; however, very few white students were enrolled in district schools. Also in 2007, voters passed

11305-481: The school districts in urban areas in Texas NFISD had the highest concentration of ex-prison inmates. As of 2010 , NFISD had 7,410 students. 68.6% of the students were black, 30.8% were Hispanic, .5% were white, and .1% were Asian or Pacific Islander. 100% were classified as economically disadvantaged. At that time the district had more than 1,050 employees. In 1980 80% of the students were African American. In 1989

11424-524: The state had a priority in getting rid of a dysfunctional school system at all costs. The state was in Nightmare on Elm Street X , and they didn't want to see Freddy Krueger come back to life again." On April 29, 2013, the North Forest ISD school board defied a TEA order to fire its teachers in anticipation of its absorption by HISD. Texas Rangers were sent from Austin to investigate. In May 2013, as

11543-419: The state had closed. The district had the highest March 10, 1986 TECAT (Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers) failure rate of any large school district. 25% of the district's administrators and teachers did not pass. In 1997 an editorial appeared with the title "Clouds hover over northeast Houston district again". Graduation rates, test scores, and financial record keeping improved during

11662-424: The student body consisted of mainly urban working-class people. It was overwhelmingly African American. In 1996 the enrollment at NFISD began a steady decline. The district had 13,132 students in the 1993-1994 school year and 11,699 in the 2001-2002 school year, an 11% decline over a nine-year period. During the 2001-2002 school year, 2,837 students attended the two NFISD high schools, while their combined capacity

11781-506: The study concluded, "these estimates imply sizable, long-term returns to investments in means-tested, public preschool programs." A 2009 study, which compared siblings, found that those who attended Head Start showed stronger academic performance as shown on test scores for years afterward, were less likely to be diagnosed as learning-disabled, less likely to commit crime, more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and less likely to suffer from poor health as an adult. This study

11900-530: The superintendent of the Humble Independent School District to check whether the state would allow Humble to annex NFISD, but no action resulted. In 1979 NFISD area residents discovered that a proposed landfill had been misrepresented to them by developers as a housing development. The landfill was about 1,400 feet (430 m) from the NFISD administration building, an NFISD high school, the NFISD sports stadium, and an NFISD track field. At

12019-527: The superintendent. The district might improve some but then falls again." Joshua Benton of The Dallas Morning News wrote the same year: "[i]n many ways, its schools are to Houston what the since-closed Wilmer-Hutchins schools were to Dallas : the ones that were always in trouble." John Sawyer, the head of the Harris County Department of Education , also compared North Forest to Wilmer-Hutchins, another predominantly black school district, which

12138-490: The tenure as district superintendent of Carrol Thomas, from 1988 to 1996, but the district began to decline again after he left to become superintendent of the Beaumont Independent School District . In a 2006 article Todd Spivak of the Houston Chronicle described NFISD as "a prime example of how inconsistency can wreak havoc on schools". In the five years before 2006 NFISD had four superintendents, and

12257-462: The time of testing, including nine boys and 11 girls. The non-enrolled group was on the Head Start waiting list. The control group consisted of 11 boys and nine girls. The groups were matched by family income, parental employment and marital status. The tester tested children at home and in a school or office setting. The Head Start children scored higher than the controls in both settings, which suggested preschool intervention programs may have influenced

12376-527: The time the high school did not have air conditioning. Seven NFISD schools were within a 2-mile (3.2 km) radius of the landfill. Residents sued the landfill company in federal court, but lost the suit in 1985. As a result of the case, remedies were passed at the state and municipal levels. In 1981 the NFISD Police Department was established. In 1991 voters approved an approximately $ 40 million NFISD bond, and in 1997 another bond, leading to

12495-457: Was 5,875, giving a classroom usage percentage of 48%. On March 18, 2003, the district had 11,217 students, fewer than the expected 11,650. From 1997 to 2007 the student population decreased by 35%, to below 9,000 students. In 2011 NFISD operated nine schools. The district's facilities included one early childhood center, five elementary schools, two middle schools, one ninth grade center, one charter school, and one high school. In addition to

12614-430: Was a school district in northeast Houston , Texas . Established in the early 1920s in a low-income white area, it later became majority-black and black-run. The district had a history of financial and academic issues from the late 1980s until 2013. On July 1, 2013, it was closed by order of the state and absorbed into the Houston Independent School District (HISD). The district was established sometime around 1923 as

12733-595: Was attached to the South Park district to form the present Beaumont ISD. Lawsuits by blacks in both districts followed: by Beaumont ISD voters to nullify the dissolution because they now had no representation on the school board, and by South Park ISD voters against the school board, the Jefferson County Commissioners Court and the Beaumont City Council over lack of representation. The merger

12852-549: Was authorized by Congress as a year–round program. In 1968, Head Start began funding a television series that would eventually be called Sesame Street , operated by the Carnegie Corporation Children's Television Workshop (CTW). In 1969, Head Start was transferred to the Office of Child Development in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (later the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)) by

12971-405: Was considering as the site of its new headquarters a 250-acre (100 ha) plot of land across from North Forest High School's main campus (formerly M. B. Smiley High School). Around 2003 the board approved construction of a new administration building. In October 2007 its headquarters were at 6010 Little York while its Office of Communications was located at Langstead. The foyer was renovated at

13090-427: Was consistently ranked "academically unacceptable" by the Texas Education Agency . It was placed on probation in June 2008, and on July 31 the TEA dismissed the school board, which was approved by the state on October 15. The TEA stated that in the year leading to July 2008 the district did not meet payroll and that several banks had denied the district short-term bridge loans . The board members decided to appeal in

13209-442: Was effective July 1, 1984, with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) stating that South Park ISD merged into Beaumont ISD. In the first school board vote after the merger, a 4–3 black majority was elected. After one term this became a 4–3 white majority, a situation that continued into the 1990s, when the court orders mandating desegregation expired and the board became split over continuing busing . The Texas Education Agency monitored

13328-447: Was founded in 1883 and included the neighborhoods of downtown and the port area, and in 1948 absorbed the smaller French ISD on the north side, with French High School . It also operated a high school for black students, Charlton-Pollard High School . In 1975, as part of court-ordered desegregation of the district, this merged with Beaumont High School to form Beaumont-Charlton-Pollard High School . South Park Independent School District

13447-414: Was founded in 1891 but was shaped by the aftermath of the discovery of oil at Spindletop in 1901; it took its name from the neighborhood at the south end of the city that grew up to house oil-field workers in the resulting boom. It operated South Park High School and came to include the expanding neighborhoods on the west side of Beaumont, where it opened Forest Park High School in the 1960s. It also had

13566-411: Was heavily criticized for not looking outside the school district for a new superintendent. Elections for the board of trustees are to take place in 2017, with members of the board of managers being gradually replaced by elected trustees over three or more years. As of the 2010-2011 school year, the appraised valuation of property in the district was $ 8,788,794,000. The maintenance tax rate was $ 0.104 and

13685-399: Was not scheduled to re-open for the 2013-2014 school year. Some existing HISD elementary schools began serving portions of the NFISD area, and the NFISD zone was divided between Forest Brook Middle School and the existing HISD Key Middle School and between North Forest High School and the existing HISD Kashmere High School . YES Prep Public Schools was permitted to continue leasing

13804-423: Was over and ordered the closure of North Forest ISD and recommended its annexation by Houston Independent School District by July 1, 2013. Houston Independent School District board members discussed how a takeover might be implemented; Dianna Wray of the Houston Press wrote: "It seemed as if all nine of them were choosing their words carefully, making it clear they were only following state orders." Gayle Fallon,

13923-467: Was replicated in a 2020 study which looked at 10 additional birth cohorts, and found a negligible impact. A 2022 study found that Head Start increased the employment and earnings of single mothers. In 2015, CCR Analytics, formerly Child Care Analytics, published the results of their Family Outcomes Survey completed by nearly 11,600 California Head Start and Early Head Start parents. 90% of parents surveyed said that Head Start helped them to get or keep

14042-399: Was the largest school district ever closed by the TEA. Opinions varied on whether it was a "historically black" district, and therefore also the largest historically black district in the state to be closed; Kimberly Reeves of the Houston Press noted that the district had not been predominately African-American in the segregation era and remained majority white since desegregation , into

14161-461: Was to be closed by July 1, 2012. The state said that the Houston Independent School District would absorb the NFISD territory. Paula Harris, president of the HISD board, said that HISD did not advocate for the outcome, but that it would be willing to accommodate the students. Paul Bettencourt , the Harris County tax assessor-collector and later a member of the Texas State Senate , said that

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