2005-2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program

U.S. Department of Education

Cover Sheet Type of School: XElementary __ Middle __ High __ K-12 __Charter

Name of Principal Mr. George Whileyman

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)

OfficialSchool Name StephenF.AustinElementary School

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address 1630 Pitts Road

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

Richmond Texas 77469-1390 City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County FortBend School Code Number* 79901114

Telephone (832)223-1000 Fax (832) 223-1001

Website/URL e-mail

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.

Date

(Principal’s Signature)

Name of Superintendent* Dr. Thomas E. Randle, Ed.D

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name Lamar Consolidated IndependentSchool District Tel. (832) 223-0110

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and

certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.

Date

(Superintendent’s Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson Mr. Michael Richard

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and

certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.

Date______

(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)

*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.

PART I ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION

[Include this page in the school’s application as page 2.]

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each of the statements below concerning the school's eligibility and compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.

  1. The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12. (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
  2. The school has not been in school improvement status or been identified by the state as "persistently dangerous" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2004-2005 school year.
  3. If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language as a part of its core curriculum.
  4. The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 1999 and has not received the 2003 or 2004 No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools Award.
  5. The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a districtwide compliance review.
  6. The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
  7. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution's equal protection clause.
  8. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

PART II DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

All data are the most recent year available.

DISTRICT (Questions 12 not applicable to private schools)

1.Number of schools in the district: 17 Elementary schools

2 Middle schools

3 Junior high schools

3 High schools

6 Other

31 TOTAL

2.District Per Pupil Expenditure: $7,127 (actual-2003/2004)

AverageState Per Pupil Expenditure: $7,358 (budgeted)

SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)

3.Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

[ ]Urban or large central city

[ ]Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area

[X ]Suburban

[ ]Small city or town in a rural area

[ ]Rural

4. 5 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.

If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this school?

5.Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school only:

Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total
PreK / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7 / NA / NA / NA
K / 35 / 39 / 74 / 8 / NA / NA / NA
1 / 38 / 29 / 67 / 9 / NA / NA / NA
2 / 49 / 49 / 98 / 10 / NA / NA / NA
3 / 47 / 45 / 92 / 11 / NA / NA / NA
4 / 42 / 37 / 79 / 12 / NA / NA / NA
5 / 36 / 36 / 72 / Other / 7 / 2 / 9(EE)
6 / NA / NA / NA
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL  / 491

6.Racial/ethnic composition of 81% White

the students in the school: 2% Black or African American

16 % Hispanic or Latino

1% Asian/Pacific Islander

0% American Indian/Alaskan Native

100% Total

Use only the five standard categories in reporting the racial/ethnic composition of the school.

7.Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 7%

(This rate should be calculated using the grid below. The answer to (6) is the mobility rate.)

(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 18
(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 17
(3) / Subtotal of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] / 35
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1 (same as in #5 above) / 491
(5) / Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row (4) / .07
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100 / 7

8.Limited English Proficient students in the school: 1 %

6 Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: 1

Specify languages:Spanish

9.Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 8 %

Total number students who qualify:40

If this method does not produce an accurate estimate of the percentage of students from lowincome families or the school does not participate in the federallysupported lunch program, specify a more accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it arrived at this estimate.

10.Students receiving special education services: 13 %

65 Total Number of Students Served

Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

5 Autism 1 Orthopedic Impairment

Deafness 10 Other Health Impaired

____Deaf-Blindness 13 Specific Learning Disability

5 Emotional Disturbance 33 Speech or Language Impairment

1 Hearing Impaired Traumatic Brain Injury

2 Mental Retardation Visual Impairment Including Blindness

____Multiple Disabilities

*An additional 5 special education students enrolled after the October 28, 2005 snapshot date*

  1. Indicate number of fulltime and parttime staff members in each of the categories below:

Number of Staff

Full-TimePart-Time

Administrator(s) 2 0

Classroom teachers34 0

Special resource teachers/specialists00

Paraprofessionals6 0

Support staff50

Total number 470

12.Average school student-“classroom teacher” ratio:15

13.Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)

2003-2004 / 2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001 / 1999-2000
Daily student attendance / 97% / 98% / 97% / 98% / 97%
Daily teacher attendance / 96% / 91% / 96% / 96% / 96%
Teacher turnover rate / 3% / 6% / 9% / 9% / 12%
Student dropout rate (middle/high) / NA% / NA% / NA% / NA% / NA%
Student drop-off rate (high school) / NA% / NA% / NA% / NA% / NA%

PART III SUMMARY

Stephen F. Austin Elementary is located in Pecan Grove, a beautiful residential community 4 miles northeast of Richmond, Texas. Richmond, the county seat of FortBendCounty, is on the BrazosRiver approximately 20 miles southwest of Houston. The opening of Austin Elementary in the fall of 1990 was the result of unprecedented expansion in FortBendCounty and the need to accommodate growth and the neighborhood school concept of Lamar Consolidated I.S.D. The school was named after Stephen Fuller Austin, the Father of Texas and an American leader of colonization in what would become the great State of Texas. In 1822, Austin selected this area to settle a group of the Old Three-Hundred. This group of pioneers set forth a spirit of community, leadership, and courage that has been the model for all future Texans. Austin Elementary strives daily to continue the proud pioneer spirit of our namesake and all those who followed his dream.

Our vision for Austin Elementary was to develop a child-centered facility in which each student would be challenged to his or her potential while being treated with dignity and respect. With all segments of our school working together, that vision has become a reality. The enthusiasm and commitment of all involved has contributed to Austin’s success. Austin Elementary faculty and staff have developed a collaborative, integrated instructional program. This integration strengthens the teaching and learning processes so students can develop the vital skills necessary to locate, analyze, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information and ideas. As a result, students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to meet Austin’s high academic standards. At Austin we firmly believe success is measured by much more than test scores. Our highly motivated, veteran staff can be seen utilizing best practices innovatively to captivate and engage students in active learning by addressing a variety of modalities through the use of novel units, role playing, science inquiries and labs, math manipulatives, centers, research, and much more. This same group of dedicated teachers can also be seen after school and on weekends cheering on homeruns, touchdowns, dance performances, and other student endeavors. In order to ensure student success, we believe we must address each child’s emotional, social, and academic needs.

Our students learn at an early age the importance of developing character and the role philanthropic endeavors play in becoming a productive citizen. Each classroom develops a community service project. Buddy classes are created in which older students are paired with younger students to serve as tutors and role models. All students have a sense of purpose and take ownership and pride in their role as contributing members of the Austin family. Before and after school activities such as choir, Writing Wonders, student council, chess, art, and science clubs provide students enrichment and leadership opportunities. We also provide a multitude of experiences that help ensure that studentswill take control of their educational future and become life-longlearners. At Austin, we seek to educate the whole child and provide maximum growth as we prepare our students to meet future challenges.

Parental and community involvement help support our school’s programs and contribute significantly to the success and spirit at Austin. The involvement of our Parent Teacher Organization enables our campus to function at an exceptionally high level of efficiency. Austin has tremendous support from a dedicated team of volunteers. Volunteer involvement through our Terrific Austin Parents (TAPS) is a clear reflection of our strong connection to and commitment between school and community. Our parents are not the only volunteers on our campus. Community members, civic leaders, and local businessmen and women can be seen daily mentoring students in our highly successful, nationally recognized HOSTS (Helping One Student To Succeed) program. In addition, former Austin students gladly forego their high school off periods to tutor and give back to the elementary school they love and still call home.

Austin Elementary is much more than a building. For students, it is a home away from home! All who enter our doors become part of an extended family that thrives and flourishes on the success of all students. It is also this same family that rallies when a crisis occurs. This sense of love and commitment ensures, at Stephen F. Austin Elementary, that no child, or family, will be left behind. As you continue through this written narrative of our school, we welcome you to our Austin family. It is our hope that this in-depth look into who and what we are will leave you with the same sense of love, respect, devotion, and success that our staff, students, and parents experience each and every day!

PART IV – INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS

1. Assessment Results:

As a public school in the state of Texas, Austin Elementary participates in the state assessment system for students in the areas of reading and math for grades 3-5, writing for grade 4, and science for grade 5. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is a criterion referenced assessment aligned with the state’s mandated curriculum, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and the federal requirements for the No Child Left Behind Act. The TAKS test, developed in 2003, replaced the state’s prior assessment, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Data reported in this document represents both TAAS and TAKS. On TAKS, students must receive a scale score of 2100 to meet the state standard. This “Met Standard” category represents satisfactory academic performance. Students passing at this level are at, or above, the state passing standard. Enacted in 1999, the Student Success Initiative (SSI) set goals to ensure that all students will receive the instruction and support needed to be academically successful in reading and mathematics. Based on increased accountability set by the SSI, students in grade 3 must have “Met Standard” in reading in order to pass to the next grade level, and grade 5 students must meet the same standards for reading and math. Students may also earn “Commended Performance,” which represents high academic achievement at a level that is considerably above the state passing standard. This translates to a scale score of 2400.

Upon completion of the individual aggregated data, campus results are then disaggregated into performance levels by ethnic and socioeconomic subgroups. At Austin, the data for the years 2001-2004 include only one subgroup. By 2005, two more subgroups, Hispanic and special education became part of our accountability rating. We are very proud of the fact our scores represent the vast majority of our students. Of the 244 students tested in 2005, 229 (94%) were administered the regular state test. Fifteen students (6%) were administered the State-Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA II). Of those 15 students, 4 were part of our Life Skills classroom. The SDAA II allows special education students, who have identified disabilities, the option of taking an alternative test based on their ability level. This ability level is determined by the campus Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee. Based on the overall school performance, TEA gives a campus performance rating of Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, or Academically Unacceptable. To achieve the coveted Exemplary rating, 90% of all students must meet the state passing standard. More information on the Texas Assessment System can be found at:

Our overall school performance in this document reflects that for all five years, 94%-100% of the students at Austin Elementary scored as having met state standards or expectations. Specifically, for 2001-2002, TAAS data reflects 97%-100% of the students tested passed the math component, and 98%-100% of the students tested passed the reading component on all grade levels. For 2003-2005, TAKS data reflects, 94%-100% of students tested in both math and reading “Met Standard” on all grade levels. As required for promotion by the SSI, in 2004-2005, 100% of all 3rdand 5th graders “Met Standard” in reading, and in 2005, 100% of all 5th graders, “Met Standard” in math. In 2005, 97%-100% of our Hispanic population met, or exceeded, state standards in all areas. For the years 2003-2005, Commended Performance percentages on TAKS have improved as follows: 3rd grade reading: 51%-66%; 3rd grade math: 39%-45%; 4th grade reading: 41%-53%; 4th grade math: 26%-54%; 4th grade writing: 29%-50%; 5th grade math: 27%-46%; and 5th grade science: 14%-70%. As a result of these outstanding scores, Austin has received the state’s highest accountability rating (Exemplary) for 10 of the past 11 years.

The only disparity among our subgroups occurred with our special education students in 2005. Of the 35 tests administered to this subgroup, ARD expectations were met on 25 (71%). This was the result of the increased level of difficulty on the SDAA II, and the fact our ARD committees were determined to set high expectations for our special-education students. As a result of this disparity, our performance rating for 2005 wasassigned as Recognized. After analyzing the data available, we feel confident we will do a better job setting expectations that are high, yet not unreasonable for our students. Our staff recognizes the continued need to monitor students with learning disabilities in order to accelerate learning.

These scores are indicative of the hard work and dedication of all involved. At Austin, all children are ensured a quality education and our test scores reflect that no child is ever left behind.

2. Using Assessment Results

New education initiatives and increased accountability have inspired the development of more effective, integrated methods for assessing student achievement. Austin utilizes a variety of methods and assessments to monitor and improve student achievement. Disaggregation of TAKS/SDAA data in grades 3-5, Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) for grades K-2, and district-generated benchmark and proficiency tests for all grade levels enables teachers to determine individual strengths and weaknesses by subgroups and objectives. These item analyses are available through a district computer-assisted program which provides us with a record of standardized and criterion-referenced assessments. Data also provides us with the information needed to determine the effectiveness of our instructional program and support services. Using assessment data, our teachers can track student progress, identify student needs, provide focused instruction and interventions, and ultimately improve student achievement.