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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 1998

NEA Hails San Antonio's Edgewood as an 'Urban School System on the Move'

San Antonio, TX -- Edgewood schools are heading in the right direction and can be a model for other urban school systems. That's the conclusion of the National Education Association (NEA) after studying the Edgewood public schools.

Among the NEA's findings are these successes achieved by local schools:

• Eighth grade pass rates in the math portion of TAAS have increased 250% from 1993.

• Where high school dropout rates approached 10 percent -- three times the state average in 1993 -- they have now been cut to 4.1 percent.

• SAT scores are up an astounding 134 points.

• Last year, 84 percent of fifth-graders at one elementary school passed the state reading test, up from 48 percent five years ago.

• The district has opened new magnet schools for math, science, technology, and the fine arts.

• Edgewood is now offering Advanced Placement tests for high school students.

• Parent involvement is soaring, and community pride is high. Over 100,000 hours have been logged by parent volunteers.

• Over a five-year period, dramatic gains in TAAS scores have moved the district from nine low performing schools in 1993 to zero low performing schools and three recognized schools.

The 2.4-million-member NEA announced today it is embarking on a project to help its local affiliate, the Edgewood Classroom Teachers Association (ECTA), build strong school and community partnerships that will result in even greater achievement for Edgewood students.

Sheila Simmons, the NEA staff member assigned to the project, said she is delighted to work closely with the teachers and staff of the Edgewood school district. "NEA members live and work in the community. Our members raise their children in the community, so obviously the Association has a large stake in the future of Edgewood schools and the community as a whole."

Simmons said she hopes that by building on recent successes, the community can ensure that its public schools are the first choice of every parent. "We see the community pride, the improving academic performance of Edgewood's students, and the mushrooming parental involvement of parents as signs that this district's schools are headed in the right direction, and we want to help. NEA, its members, and the citizens of Edgewood are committed to continue the improvement of Edgewood's public schools.

NEA was invited into Edgewood in September by ECTA/NEA members, who are concerned over the impending loss of financial resources to Edgewood school children as the result of a private plan to move children into private schools.

Simmons said the NEA takes no issue with the notion of private money to support private schools, but the plan in place in Edgewood is threatening to gut the services received by children in the public schools. Given the district's heavy reliance on state funding, the loss of 515 students - and more than $3 million of state aid - could stymie ongoing reform efforts.

"Our concern is that children's educational needs be met," Simmons said. "Edgewood public schools are turning the corner, and we want to help local teachers and community build on their successes -- and to share what we learn here with urban education systems across America."

NEA will also help teachers and other school staff build stronger relationships with parents. "By keeping parents informed of what is happening in schools, and by offering them proven suggestions for helping their children, we are confident that we can help students do better academically as well as ensuring that they behave well at school," Simmons said.

The Association hopes to build a strong coalition with the school district and the community that will result in making schools the centers of community activity. "Families, local businesses, and religious communities must re-connect with their public schools," Simmons said. "Without a strong public school system, the future of any community is in doubt."

Over the next several months, NEA will be working with parents, teachers, community leaders, and school officials on an aggressive plan of action for Edgewood's public schools. Simmons will discuss the Association's plans at a meeting tonight (Dec. 10) with community leaders.

NEA has pledged its support to help every school become a high performing school by strengthening student achievement and improving the school climate. NEA has pledged to provide assistance in several areas:

• School Transformation - NEA will work to transform all schools into high performing schools where improving student achievement is the goal. Among the proposals to do this are: aligning district curriculum with state standards, implementing strategies to bring all students to grade level in reading, writing, and math; emphasizing the goal of all students reading by the third grade, and developing quarterly learning contracts with parents. Another of the proposals has to do with creating and supporting effective professional development opportunities for teachers, including the development of mentoring programs for new teachers.

• Community Organizing - NEA will reach out to families, communities, local businesses, and religious groups to re-connect schools to their base, the community. Among the NEA proposals are organizing door-to-door canvassing in the community, developing community training workshops, and providing translation for non-English-speaking parents and community members.

• Public Engagement - NEA will reach out to the public to tell the success stories already occurring in Edgewood schools, and publicizing what the community is doing to build upon those successes.

Simmons pointed out that "The Edgewood public schools have a story to tell about how a poor, urban school district has turned around its low student achievement and can now become a model for other districts."