Dateline: November 30, 2006

Clarendon Elementary makes 'best schools' list

Clarendon Elementary School has been named one of the “Best Public Schools in Texas” in a listing published in the December issue of Texas Monthly.

Using data from the National Center for Educational Accountability in Austin, a research arm of the University of Texas, the magazine compiled lists of elementary, middle, and high schools that consistently score higher in any or all of four basic subjects – reading, writing, math, and science.

Clarendon Elementary was ranked for the consistently high science scores of its students.

“I’m proud of that listing, and so are our teachers,” Elementary Principal Mike Word said. “We really focus on science. We want our kids to go on to junior high and be successful. We don’t want them to move up and not be able to hack it.”

Word said part of Clarendon Elementary’s successful science scores can be attributed to the school board being willing to spend $9,000 for science kits that allow kids to do all kinds of hands-on experiments.

“Our teachers use [the kits], and our kids love them,” Word said.

According to the magazine article, the more areas a school performs higher in, the better the school.

“Suffice it to say that if your school is on the list, you and it have a lot to be proud of,” Texas Monthly said. “If it isn’t, well, get back to work!”

Word said Clarendon Elementary usually scores high in writing and reading also, but the school did have scores in the 80s in those subjects in recent years that probably kept it from getting a higher rating by the magazine.

CISD Superintendent Monty Hysinger said hard work was the reason for the elementary’s rating.

“The teachers and staff of the elementary school have worked really hard on science and have helped improve the kids’ awareness of science,” Hysinger said. “It’s a really nice honor to be on that list. We’ve got a lot of good people and good kids.”

A total of 574 elementary, middle, and high schools across Texas made the list. Clarendon Elementary was one of the few from this area to receive such an honor.

The NCEA identifies high performing schools in many states across multiple grades and years, the magazine said. Consistency and fairness are the core of the NCEA process. Listed schools meet stringent criteria over three years, and schools are compared with other schools with similar demographics.