Three Houston schools have been persistently rated as unsatisfactory by state guidelines for three or more years. As with most school closing warnings across the nation, the parents, community, and elected officials with a political stake in the area are up in arms over the possibility. Though parents want their children to attend schools within their own neighborhood, It is believed the community must look at the cost of keeping these three schools open — the students are failing, unable to meet the bare minimum requirements of the state! With their futures at risk, Parents would want their children at better performing schools.

The Houston schools’ ratings are based on statewide student achievement tests and the overall dropout and graduation rates of each school. If a proposed policy by the Texas Education Agency is adopted, then the state education commissioner will be able to close in the near future any school that is rated unsatisfactory for four consecutive years. Thus, Houston schools Superintendent Dr. Abelardo Saavedra is only preparing the public, in case the schools do not gain a satisfactory rating at the end of the 2006-2007 school year.

In 2005, Saavedra warned that Kashmere High School, Sam Houston High School, and McReynolds Middle School needed to improve their ratings or drastic measures would be taken. Privatization of the schools was mentioned then; however, the Houston schools currently are preparing for closing the schools, if they again are rated unsatisfactory. During the last school year, the Houston schools changed administrators at several chronically unsatisfactory schools and a large percentage of the teaching staff at each school. Though tremendous improvement was seen at Kashmere, Sam Houston, and McReynolds, there was not enough progress made and they were again rated as unsatisfactory.

For the 2006-2007 school year, the Houston schools have developed a year-long campaign in hopes of saving the three schools. School hours will be extended in order to provide more instruction time to the students, top-rated teachers have been hired to co-teach in problem classes, and an educational achievement plan will be created for each student. All three schools for this year will be under the supervision of Dr. Karen Soehnge, the Houston schools’ chief academic officer.

The Houston schools have looked at several strategies to save these schools. The ones they have implemented up-to-now have failed. If this current campaign fails as well, then the schools will be closed. It is a “improve immediately” or “close the doors” situation for the schools, the students, and the educators. All students deserve a quality education, and it is obvious that schools, which continue to be rated unsatisfactory, are not providing such. The Houston schools must do better for these children.

School is the institution where you learn the basic skills like reading, writing and later gain acquainted about various realms of knowledge. It is therefore imperative that the atmosphere of the school is conducive to studying and helps in the over all personality development of the student. Selecting the right school is more important in today’s times as many ills such as drugs and violence are affecting our schools.Houston, Texas is the fourth largest city in the United States, with a metropolitan area population of more than five million people, there are many factors to consider when determining precisely where in Houston you want to live. One element that often helps to make the decision is the availability and quality of education. Parents want to place their children in the best schools in Houston in order to give them the highest education possible, giving them a solid base that will enable them to support themselves well as adults.

Determining which are the best schools in Houston can take into consideration several different factors. For example, the number of students per teacher area wide in Houston is 15:1 (15 to one), whereas the overall student/teacher ratio statewide is 14:1 (14 to one). There are more than half a million students in the Houston area spread over nearly 800 schools, both public and private. Private schools, of which there are 349, have a student/teacher ratio of 7:1 (seven to one). These ratios help parents see at a glance how much individual help their child is likely to receive in the classroom. However, this ratio is not the only factor that goes to determining the best schools in Houston for your family.

Due consideration must also be given to the interests of the child and what the emphasis of the curriculum is for any particular school. For example, a child who is interested in sports should probably be enrolled in a school that features a solid physical education curriculum, but that also stresses the academic achievement that will allow him or her to succeed in life skills or prepare to attend institutions of higher learning.

Officially, various ranking lists are prepared each year to assist in choosing the best schools in Houston. The 2007 list prepared by an organization called Children at Risk rates schools in Greater Houston for proficiency in mathematics and in English. The YES College Preparatory School is number two on the list. In order to graduate from this high school, the student must have been accepted at a four-year college or university.

Schools could provide the solution to many of the problems faced by mature students. With more and more people finding that they need extra qualifications to advance in the employment market. Keep in mind that to maximize the investment on your education, you must choose the best schools which meets your career goals. It is interesting to note that some of the best schools in Houston are not magnet schools and not specialized schools. This means that quality education is available to any Houston-area student attending public or private schools.