Dateline: August 1, 2002

State gives high marks to Clarendon ISD 

By Helen Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise 

Special programs conducted by Clarendon CISD are exceptionally effective and compliant with state and federal regulations, according to a Texas Education Agency report received this week.

In the official results of the District Effectiveness and Compliance (DEC) Visit conducted by the Division of Accountability Evaluations of the Texas Education Agency during the week of May 13-17, 2002, Clarendon CISD received passing marks for all but two out of 10,800 sub-indicators for Special Education. All indicators for all the other programs were judged acceptable.

Ironically, the work had been done to serve the three students involved under those two sub-indicators, but the paperwork trail had not documented their completion.

The purpose of the DEC visit was to evaluate and monitor Clarendon CISD’s compliance with state and federal requirements for special programs. The team included members of TEA as well as educators from schools similar to the size of Clarendon.

The peer review team examined the district’s decision-making and planning policies and administrative procedures as they relate to special programs, including initiatives to improve the performance of students served under state and federally funded programs. The review consisted of district and parent roundtable discussions, examination of relevant documents, and interviews with district and campus staff members.

The following programs were studied and evaluated: bilingual education/English as a second language (BE/ESL); career and technology education (CATE); dyslexia; Title I, Part A; Title I, Part C (migrant education); Title II, Part B, Eisenhower Professional Development Program; Title VI, Class-Size Reduction; gifted and talented (G/T) education; optional extended year (OEY); special education; and state compensatory education (SCE). The peer review team also reviewed pre-kindergarten notification and textbook availability.

The team noted that Clarendon CISD’s trend of declining enrollment over the past five years (555 to 495) could have a potentially negative impact on special services offered in the future.

After observing that the superintendent and the board of trustees were already taking extensive measures to optimize district expenditures, the peer review team recommended “that the district administration and the district site-based decision-making team designate an ongoing subcommittee composed of teachers, parents, community members, business members, and members of the administrative team to develop a comprehensive plan of action to combat the effect of declining enrollment.” They suggested “combining classes, reducing of expenditures, cooperating with local area development efforts, and other strategies to enable Clarendon CISD to continue its present level of quality instruction for all district students in the face of declining enrollment.”

In summarizing its report, the team wrote, “There are generations of Clarendon ISD families with an abiding interest in their community school. They consider the small, mutually supportive climate of their schools to be the positive focus of their community.

“The superintendent is an effective communicator and consensus builder who is helping to create and sustain a district climate in which students can flourish. It is the belief of the peer review team that the sustained, combined efforts of the board of trustees, enlightened administration, hard-working and energetic faculty, and engaged and concerned parents will positively impact students’ performance and allow the district to earn the Exemplary status rating that it seeks.”

Superintendent Monty Hysinger was elated with the report.

“We had such good cooperation from everyone involved in getting ready for the DEC visit,” he said. The peer review team was extremely impressed by the sincerity that really showed through during the discussions with parents, teachers, and committee members.

“We were really proud to have had the opportunity to show off our school and the many special programs we offer our students.”