Hays Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Kyle , Texas ( USA ). In addition to Kyle, the district serves the city of Buda , and other areas in northern Hays County. The Hays Consolidated Independent School District reaches more than 221 square miles. The district's 23 campuses are located throughout northern Hays County, serving nearly 20,000 students.
34-761: In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable " by the Texas Education Agency . As of 2013 HCISD covers 3.8 square miles (9.8 km) of land within the City of Austin, making up 1.2% of the city's territory. The district was formed as a merger between the Buda, Kyle and Wimberly Independent School Districts in 1967 for financial purposes. Circa 2023, annually, the enrollment increased by 1,500 students. In 2023 Rachel Monroe of The New Yorker wrote "test scores and median incomes are above state averages, though not dramatically so." By 2023
68-609: A Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to coordinate efforts across various agencies and divisions, ensuring effective implementation of safety policies and best practices. This position was to report directly to the Commissioner and have a direct line to the Governor’s Office, enhancing communication and collaboration without duplicating existing work. Abbott underscored
102-511: A direct line to the Governor’s Office. He will coordinate safety efforts among multiple state agencies and school districts. Governor Abbott has also outlined significant actions to support the Uvalde community and enhance school safety statewide, including financial investments, mental health services, and legislative initiatives. The mission of the Office of School Safety and Security is to build
136-455: A federal investigation. State education officials set an arbitrary limit of 8.5% for the number of students who could receive special education services. By strictly enforcing district compliance with the benchmark, the rate of students receiving special education in Texas fell to 8.5% in 2015, far below the national average of 13%. School districts implemented a wide range of practices to reduce
170-527: A former education board chairman who was the leader of the conservative bloc. Ratliff said in 2013 that the board is "far different" in political complexion that it was in 2010. In 2022, the GOP captured an additional seat, bringing their total to 10 of the 15-member board. Many are social conservatives, campaigning against critical race theory and gender identity lessons. [1] To serve the large number of individual school districts and charter schools in Texas, TEA
204-401: A letter dated June 9, 2022, to Commissioner Morath, Governor Abbott emphasized the urgent need to prevent future tragedies like the one in Uvalde by enhancing school safety measures. Despite the comprehensive school safety and mental health legislation passed in 2019 and subsequent efforts, he stated that further actions were necessary before the next school year. Abbott called for the creation of
238-648: Is Mike Morath. A former member of the Dallas Independent School District's board of trustees, he was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015. The commissioner's role is to lead and manage the Texas Education Agency. The commissioner also co-ordinates efforts between state and federal agencies. TEA is overseen by a 15-member State Board of Education (SBOE) elected from single-member districts. There are no term limits . Terms are four years in length, with one two-year term each decade. Similar to
272-434: Is a separate entity not under TEA oversight. In addition to primary and secondary education, TEA has oversight duties with respect to driver's education courses (initial permits) and defensive driving courses (used to have a ticket dismissed and/or for lower insurance premiums). On November 7, 2007, Christine Comer resigned as the director of the science curriculum after more than nine years. Comer said that her resignation
306-650: Is divided in the monitoring and technical assistance division and the school readiness division. Independent Lens Independent Lens is a weekly television series airing on PBS featuring documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of Independent Lens were hosted by Angela Bassett , Don Cheadle , Susan Sarandon , Edie Falco , Terrence Howard , Maggie Gyllenhaal , America Ferrera , Mary-Louise Parker , and Stanley Tucci , who served two stints as host from 2012-2014. The series began in 1999 and for three years aired 10 episodes each fall season. In 2002 , PBS announced that in 2003
340-813: Is divided into 20 regions, each containing an Education Service Center (ESC, sometimes called regional service center or regional education service center). Under Chapter 8 of the Texas Education Code, ESCs perform the following tasks on behalf of TEA: The assistance applies to both districts and schools, including charter schools. Notably, the ESCs have no regulatory authority over districts or schools (TEA headquarters reserves this right to itself). ESCs are not political units, and as such have no taxing authority. They are funded by state and federal funding, as well as by contracts made with individual districts and schools. TEA rates schools and districts using
374-709: Is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States. The agency is headquartered in the William B. Travis State Office Building in downtown Austin . Mike Morath , formerly a member of the Dallas Independent School District 's board of trustees, was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015, and began serving on January 4, 2016. Prior to
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#1732798309201408-433: Is to instill a culture of constant vigilance and accountability across all Texas schools. A statutory addition from HB3 charged the agency with establishing the Office of School Safety and Security - a division consisting of individuals with substantial expertise and experience in school or law enforcement safety and security operations. The passage of this bill created Texas Education Code, Section. 37.1083 and 37.1084. In
442-745: The House won for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking; and A Lion's Trail won in 2006 for Outstanding Cultural and Artistic Programming. Three other films won for Best Documentary: Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life in 2008, Be Good, Smile Pretty in 2004, and Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring Cycle in 2000. Four Independent Lens films won News & Documentary Emmys in 2017 alone: The Armor of Light ; (T)error ; Best of Enemies ; and In Football We Trust . As well, seven Independent Lens films garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Documentary: Enron: The Smartest Guys in
476-687: The Room (2006), The Weather Underground (2004), Waste Land (2010), Hell and Back Again (2011), How to Survive a Plague (2012), I Am Not Your Negro (2016), and Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018). Other awards conferred upon Independent Lens films include the George Foster Peabody Award , International Documentary Association Documentary Awards, Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award , and Sundance Film Festival Awards. Independent Lens gives out an annual Audience Award. The TV viewing audience
510-641: The arrangement of the Texas Senate , SBOE members are divided into two groups based in part on the intervening Census: As such, every two years, about half of the SBOE is on the ballot. The board devises policies and sets academic standards for Texas public schools, and oversees the state Permanent School Fund and selects textbooks to be used in Texas schools. Since 2011, the board can still recommend textbooks, but public school districts can order their own books and materials even if their selections are not on
544-449: The capacity of the regional education service centers (ESCs) and local education agencies (LEAs) to promote the physical and psychological well-being of students and staff - recognizing that safer schools positively impact student outcomes. We align school safety and security expertise with guidance provided through technical assistance to ensure effective best practices are implemented across the state. The Office of School Safety and Security
578-557: The citizens, then we ought to take) a thorough look at what they are doing." In 2010, Al Jezeera stated that it was "drafting its own version of American history", including altering school textbooks to remove what it said was a "left-leaning bias" and making changes that are said to have "religious and racial overtones". A series of reports in 2016 by the Houston Chronicle found that since at least 2004, TEA denied special education services to thousands of students, prompting
612-566: The collective responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students, educators, and staff. Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of John P. Scott as the new Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on October 3. This position was created following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde to ensure the implementation of school safety policies and best practices across Texas. Scott, who has an extensive background in security and intelligence, will report directly to Commissioner Mike Morath and have
646-469: The curriculum controversy, was released. In late January 2013, PBS's Independent Lens aired an abridged version the film. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, Texas said that the government should "take a look" at the structure of the board and consider a nonpartisan or appointed board if the elected members are "not getting their job done and they're not pleasing the Legislature or
680-424: The district had new immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, a number characterized as significantly-sized by Eric Wright, the superintendent. The main building of the district headquarters was previously a business that sold supplies for tractors. Other administrative facilities are in temporary buildings. Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system The Texas Education Agency ( TEA )
714-496: The form of requiring the district to submit corrective action plans and regular status reports, assigning monitors to oversee operations (including the authority to assign a management board, which essentially replaces and performs the duties of the elected school board), and in extreme cases closure of a school campus or even the entire school district. The University Interscholastic League (UIL), which oversees academic and athletic interscholastic competition in Texas public schools,
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#1732798309201748-436: The late 1940s, many school districts in Texas did not operate schools but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In the late 1940s, state lawmakers passed a bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation. TEA is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas, involving over 1,000 individual school districts in
782-741: The need to enhance and expand school safety measures in Texas following the Robb Elementary School tragedy. It highlights the efforts and trainings by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) and outlines specific actions for school districts to improve safety and security. These actions include reviewing and updating Emergency Operations Plans, training staff, conducting safety assessments, and ensuring compliance with state laws. The letter also mandates random inspections to test security measures and calls for legislative support to secure necessary resources. The overall goal
816-451: The number of students, including cutting services for certain children with autism and dyslexia, refusing to conduct eligibility evaluations in other languages, and refusing to accept medical records from other countries. Students who are English Language Learners (ELL) also faced a disproportionate impact resulting in a 20% difference in the rate of ELL students getting special education services compared to native speakers. In Houston ISD ,
850-586: The overhaul of its special education practices. Advocates raised concerns about the lack of a competitive bidding process and the Georgia-based company's qualifications, and a former TEA special education director filed a federal complaint about TEA violating state procurement processes. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Education found that "Texas violated federal law by failing to ensure students with disabilities were properly evaluated and provided with an adequate public education." A multi-year strategic plan
884-619: The ranking system. The Texas Education Agency is funded by the people of the State of Texas , at the direction of their elected legislature and with the consent of the Governor of Texas . The agency's budget must be approved on the legislature's biannual schedule. Revenues for the agency come from the state general fund (primarily sales taxes), the federal government, the Permanent School Fund (a sovereign wealth fund created by
918-590: The same four criteria. According to the TEA, the number of state schools and districts receiving the top ratings of "exemplary" and "recognized" increased from 2,213 in 2005 to 3,380 in 2006. In 2020, all schools were given a "not rated" designator due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In addition to the state ranking, districts and schools can be awarded additional commendations (referred to as Gold Performance acknowledgements) for other noteworthy accomplishments not included in
952-548: The series would relaunch with ITVS as the production company, under the leadership of Sally Jo Fifer and Lois Vossen, and would expand to 29 primetime episodes a year. The 2019-20 season is regarded as the 18th season for the series. Independent Lens has won six Primetime Emmy Awards and 20 films have won News & Documentary Emmy Awards . In 2012, " Have You Heard From Johannesburg? " won for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking; in 2007, A Lion in
986-532: The state and charter schools . It is also responsible for the safety of students. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over private or parochial schools (whether or not accredited ) nor over home schools . Although school districts are independent governmental entities, TEA has the authority to oversee a district's operations (either involving an individual school or the entire district) if serious issues arise (such as poor standardized test performance, financial distress, or mismanagement). This can be in
1020-408: The state with revenues from public lands), and other sources. * Budget figure is projection; all other years are actual expenditure as reported by TEA After the Uvalde school shooting, Governor Greg Abbott instructed state school safety and education officials to conduct random assessments on access control in Texas public and charter schools. In a letter dated June 1, 2022, Gov. Abbott emphasized
1054-411: The state's largest school district, after the 8.5% goal was met the standard was lowered to 8%. As a result, the district cut hundreds of special education positions, postponed diagnostic evaluations to second grade, and created a list of disqualifying factors that keep students from getting services. TEA issued a no-bid contract for $ 4.4 million to SPEDx in 2017 to analyze student records to assist with
Hays Consolidated Independent School District - Misplaced Pages Continue
1088-452: The state-approved list. So far, most districts have continued to follow the state-endorsed textbooks, but that trend is expected to change in the next two years as the districts become more cognizant of their available options. Thomas Ratliff, a moderate Republican and the son of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant , in 2010 unseated the Bryan dentist Don McLeroy ,
1122-493: Was a result of pressure from officials who claimed that she had given the appearance of criticizing the teaching of intelligent design . In 2009, the board received criticism from more than 50 scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken science standards on evolution . In October 2012, The Revisionaries , a documentary film about the re-election of the chairman of the Texas Board of Education Don McLeroy and
1156-410: Was released in 2018. In a grant application to the agency, TEA stated that they will not be able to ensure adequate services for special education students until June 2020. In September 2020, in the midst of several attempts to place Houston ISD under state control, TEA investigators recommended a state-appointed conservator be selected to oversee the district. The current commissioner of education
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