Did you know that the LTISD put out “Rocky facts” regarding their recent “Academically Acceptable” rating by TEA?

Funny, but the August 3, 2007 Quick News and LTISD home page web link to this “press release” result in a page which says: “The requested article is no longer published.” So soon? Why? I don’t think it was because Rocky said anything embarrassing (more about this later), but just the usual technical incompetence of the LTISD. I will help them out. I found their web link to this “press release”.

Update: The LTISD finally got around to fixing their links today (8/8/2007). Your welcome!

Whoever it is that scours my web site for the LTISD should point this out to them. I’m just trying to be helpful.

By the way, you might want to tell them that their web site is simply deplorable and that they should consider putting up a web site such as the Katy ISD. The Katy ISD does not post BoardBook material (I don’t know if they use BoardBook, they do not have an active web link). Their web site is very informative and easy to navigate, unlike the LTISD.

Who selected the LTISD’s current web site format and who maintains it? Perhaps Rocky should hire a webmaster?

Rocky makes some statements regarding his excuses for the “Academically Acceptable” rating of the LTISD:

1. “LTISD Superintendent Dr. Rocky Kirk stated that he is extremely pleased with the strength of gains made across the district in most subject areas.”

   Just how can he be so pleased? Here are but a few facts to dispute his claim:
   
   
   

   • This is the second year that the LTISD has fallen to “Academically Acceptable”. He should review the previous ratings of the LTISD before claiming “gains”
   • LTISD Middle School Science test scores deteriorated between 2006 and 2007
2. “Certainly, we realize that in some areas students are not performing at the level we want them to. Specifically, we will continue to study and address areas of challenge that exist within certain content areas such as science and within sub-groups such as economically disadvantaged that have traditionally had wider gaps in achievement than other groups.”

   How often will the LTISD use the really poor excuse for their failures by blaming “sub-groups”?

   • Just how many “economically disadvantaged” students are you going to blame your ratings on this time? In the past I have heard the numbers range from 5-7 depending on who was speaking at the time.
   • This sort of lunacy even comes from the top. Susan Tolles wrote in an email: “I wonder how much the cost/student at St. Andrews and other private schools would rise if they had to educate students with physical and learning disabilities, students who speak little or no English, and economically disadvantaged students?” How pervasive is this attitude within the LTISD?
   • I wonder just how many “economically disadvantaged” students are in the Carroll ISD (an “Exemplary” district with 7,791 students) or the Richardson ISD (a “Recognized” district with 34,042 students). I doubt that the LTISD sub-group numbers can compare to that of the Richardson ISD, yet they were able to achieve a rating of “Recognized”.

     I was able to obtain data regarding this issue and you will be very surprised! Data from the TEA shows:

     District	TEA Rating	Total Students	Special Education	Bilingual	English as a Second Language (ESL)	Economically Disadvantaged
     Carroll ISD	Exemplary	7,791	814	0	34	100
     Richardson ISD	Recognized	34,042	4,036	2,246	4,553	16,797
     LTISD	Academically Acceptable	5,578	492	102	79	657

Bottom line: Stop insulting our intelligence by blaming a small “sub-group” of students on your failures. You have no excuse for not ensuring that such a small number of students are meeting the state standards. Quit sniveling about the “tough” state standards and do something about the problem you have already identified well over a year ago!

If you concentrated on educating students rather than persecuting parents, you just might achieve your goals which we, the tax payers, are paying you quite well to do.

3. “I have yet to see a Fortune 500 business model that assigns such a punitive measure to its own performance. I believe our community is sufficiently informed to understand that although LTISD is not perfect, neither is the state accountability system.”
   • I guess that you have yet to see a Fortune 500 business who did not remove their “chief executive officer” after failing to lead their business performance higher, not lower. I would be remiss in my duties to not remind you of some other recent events which don’t reflect favorably on your leadership.

     Do you remember the part about “The Superintendent shall be the educational leader and chief executive officer of the District. Education Code 11.201(a)”? It is listed in written LTISD Board policy BJA(LEGAL). You should know Rocky, someone posted a link to it on your own web page.

4. “We will continue to celebrate the many successes we have, and we will intently focus on the areas where we can do better.”
   • What successes? Perhaps outside of the TEA ratings? Please elaborate. Remember Rocky, some of us prefer real verifiable facts rather than “Rocky facts”.
5. “We have committed to our community to live out our motto:  Every Heart. Every Mind. Every Day., and as we do, the results will take care of themselves.”

   This is my favorite statement! I particularly like the part about “the results will take care of themselves”.

   • How will “the results will take care of themselves”?
   • Since your commitment to your motto has failed in the past, how will it enable success in the future?
   • Is it time for a change in the LTISD motto?
   • How much of your time has been devoted to the development of this motto which is derived from Lyndon Johnson’s remarks about Vietnam?
   • Does the LTISD need another organization change?
   • Have you ever considered action (other than taking parents and tax payers to court) rather than rhetoric? Again, some sage advice from Mark Twain: “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.”
   • Finally, remember your own words: “Put your brain in gear before you throw your mouth in gear.”
6. Finally, the greatest comment of them all: “Maintains Accountability Rating”
   • Good one Rocky! I guess that is the best way to put the spin on your disaster, again. If the LTISD had not “maintained” their rating, they would have fallen to “academically unacceptable. You know, less than the prior year’s “academically acceptable” thus not maintaining your rating.
     

Here are some more interesting facts from the TEA:

I must credit the TEA with maintaining an excellent web site with a first-class data repository. It is easy to download large amounts of data in formats that can be parsed by users. It makes the job of verifying facts and extracting data much easier. All without having to make a public information request. Excellent job!

• 21%, or 241 of the 1,160 school districts rated by TEA as either “Exemplary” or “Recognized” (both ratings better than the LTISD’s “Academically Acceptable”). How can 241 districts in the state achieve these ratings and yet these ratings elude the LTISD?
• 74%, or 860 of the 1,160 school districts were rated by TEA as “Academically Acceptable”
• Regarding “Exemplary” schools:

• Regarding “Recognized” schools:

Based on these facts, I have identified many suitable candidates who have proven records of achieving results beyond that which the LTISD has obtained. Not only that, but in many cases they are cheaper than Rocky!

The LTISD Board should consider these facts and many others at Rocky’s next quarterly review.

Did you see the recent Lake Travis View article regarding the LTISD and their lawsuits against me and my family? »« Did you know that in 2007 the LTISD was given a rating of “Academically Acceptable” by the TEA? AGAIN!