Can you call and email your House member?
One, two, three- can you make 2 calls, opt out of STAAR and/or attend the April 5th Save our Schools Rally?
The Texas House will likely debate the horrible voucher bill on the House floor next week. Can you call and email your House member? Your call can be short. “I am ___ and I am a voter in your district. I urge you to vote no on vouchers in any form, including Education Savings Accounts (ESA) in HB 3.” If your state rep already opposes vouchers, thank them and let them know you support their stance.
Encourage your rural relatives and friends to contact their reps. Consider calling them on your child or parent’s behalf. Say, “ I am ___ and my son/friend/daughter is a voter in your district. I urge you…
Can you stand up for teachers and students in Texas? Opt out of STAAR. Sign up on this confidential form. Read more including FAQs at optouttexas.net.
Please also join CVPE at the rescheduled Austin Save Tx Schools Rally on Saturday, April 5th from 11:00am-1:00 pm. Buses leave at 6:30 am. Sign up at houstonCVPE.org/events.
Miles has dollars for highlighters and testing coordinators but not for fine arts, Special Ed support, teacher assistants (most end up as subs) or wraparound specialists.
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“This year, after state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles largely dismantled the program by cutting 200-plus specialists and moving some services off-campus, HISD employees are documenting fewer instances of providing non-academic help to their roughly 180,000 students…
“In interviews with the Landing, seven sources who have worked closely with HISD’s wraparound program — three former specialists, two parents, one student and one nonprofit partner — said the lack of designated staff members on each campus removed a key resource for families in need.
“Perez-Williams, who was laid off over the summer and is now getting her master’s degree in San Antonio, said current staff at Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle tell her students are “suffering” without basic necessities. The new specialist, who has to split time between several schools, comes to campus only occasionally, and overwhelmed school staff rarely have time to ask whether students need fresh clothes or food at home, Perez-Williams said.” Read more here
Meanwhile, at last night’s HISD Board meeting, parents, teachers, students and community members from across Houston expressed grave fears about how the new teacher evaluation system (TES) will harm student learning and is a horribly mangled measure of teacher quality.
Finally, “parents and students from West Briar Middle School and Wharton Dual Language program school brought their separate woes to the board room, which really weren't different at all. Both centered on what they see as interference in the schools' operations leading to the unwanted departure of teachers and administrators, a toxic culture, and what they see as questionable teaching methods.
“West Briar parents referenced the letter they sent to their principal and HISD leadership — signed by 400 people — calling for an end to staff turn over and referencing what they termed bullying. Parent Kelly Blikre echoed the letter's statement that: "Student support and special education services have taken a particular hit: since the 2023-24 school year, WBMS no longer has a social worker, or a wraparound specialist, and has a single guidance counselor to meet the needs of nearly 1000 students." Read more here.
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