HPISD, Local Curriculum Control?

In 2011 HPISD joined the Texas High Performance Consortium and in the following year HPISD introduced "Learner for the Future". Two outcomes have transpired as a result of its implementation.

1) HPISD has lost local control of its curriculum.

2) As more families see the negative impact of this shift in education away from educational traditions to experimental theories of education, HPISD enrollment has steadily decreased.

2014 Enrollment- 7,061

Current Enrollment- 7, 018

As a member of the Learner for the Future committee my opponent, Stacy Kelly, falsely asserts it was homegrown. The truth is, this profile is used by numerous other school districts, it is not unique to HPISD.

If elected, I will seek to focus on three key areas.

1) To preserve our educational traditions

2) To protect our district’s independence

3) To advance the academic excellence that has served our students so well for the past 100 years

Many thanks to Elvia from the DMN for recognizing that local control is an issue for independent school districts throughout Texas. Two taxpayer-funded lobbying groups, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) have essentially removed the “I” in INDEPENDENCE from ISD.

In addition, Dave Leiber’s viral piece in the DMN reveals how Texas School Board members get ‘indoctrinated’ into a group think culture by training them to put adults first and children second. Featured in this article, I am quoted as saying, “Highland Park ISD parent Meg Bakich testified: "In reality, our school boards become pawns of our superintendents. They vote 7-0 in lock step. We're a diverse community. Who is representing all of our different views when everyone always votes 7-0?

I believe that my opponent, Stacy Kelly, was simply stating her beliefs when saying, "We have always been locally controlled, and that is something that I'm committed to" and "that is something that serves us well." Though her comments may be completely sincere, it doesn’t mean they are correct. The hard facts show that she is clearly wrong. "Learner for the Future" is NOT homegrown as my opponent mistakenly claims.

HPISD abdicated local control in 2011 when they joined the Texas High Performance Consortium and began adopting the same vision of every other district dictated by the Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas Association of School Boards.

"Learner for the Future" is NOT homegrown. Dr. Orr brought this learner profile from his previous district in Wichita Falls. The title and logo are the same.

I AM FOR:

An education of equal opportunity vs. equity
A district governed by local control vs. state/federal control and influence
The protection of parental rights vs. government over-reach
The preservation of the 3 R’s vs. 4 C's of the 21st Century Learner, AKA "Learner of the Future"
Teacher investment vs. technology as a replacement
A teaching philosophy of instruction vs. facilitation
Student privacy vs. data gathering

I will encourage the district to regain autonomy by removing itself from being a part of the consortium, group think, which would be the beginning of disentangling from TASA and TASB. Notice below how closely HPISD's new teaching methods mirror those of other Texas school districts.