P-Tech

September 10, 2019

Dan Wever recently pointed out to us that P-Tech is coming to EPISD.

I’m finding it hard to figure out what this really is but I found this from the Texas Education Agency:

Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) is an open-enrollment program that provides students with work-based education. P-TECH programs:

    • Provide students grade 9 through 12 the opportunity to complete a course of study that combines high school and post-secondary courses.
    • Within six years, enable students to earn a high school diploma, an associate degree, a two-year post-secondary certificate or industry certification, and complete work-based training.
    • Allow students to gain work experience through an internship, apprenticeship, or other job training programs.
    • Partner with Texas Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and regional businesses and industries, giving students access to post-secondary education and workforce training opportunities.

Help wanted

We would appreciate input from any of our readers who are knowledgeable about the topic.

We deserve better

Brutus

 

10 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD–initial enrollment numbers 2019

August 29, 2019

Things are not looking good at EPISD when considering enrollment numbers.

Last year in EPISD getting smaller faster we wrote about the district losing about  1,400 students between the 2017 and 2018 school years.

The district evidently tracks these numbers in two hour increments.

Here is the latest report:

As of August 27, 2018 the district showed enrollment of 57,103 students.

As of August 20, 2019 the district was showing 54,813.

We should expect the 2019 number to rise a bit but as of August 20 they are down 2,290 students.

I don’t know how much the state plans to pay the district for each student this year.  In past years it has been over $5,000 per student.

If they end up with a loss of 2,000 students and the state pays $5,000 each they will have a $10 million drop in revenue.

We deserve better

Brutus

16 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD enrollment

August 23, 2019

We should be seeing initial figures about school enrollment very soon.

EPISD has been losing about 1,000 students a year and that is causing significant problems with their financing.

Stay tuned.

We deserve better

Brutus

10 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD lowering its property tax rate

August 21, 2019

Take a look at this:

The chart shows EPISD’s property tax rates for last year along with the rate they are considering for next year.

The end result is that they are considering lowering the combined tax rate from $1.31 per hundred dollars of property valuation to $1.2684 per hundred.

They are lowering the operations and maintenance rate while increasing the interest and sinking fund rate.  Remember that we allowed them to take ten cents away from the interest and sinking fund rate and add it to the operations and maintenance rate.  The effect of the change was to increase the amount that the state gives the district.

That is the other part of the news.  You can see that last year the state gave the district $5,554 per student while next year they are projecting $6,686 from the state.

This is better

Brutus

8 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD’s reaction is “ho hum”

August 20, 2019

According to an article in the Times the Texas Education Agency released ratings last week that showed three EPISD schools to have failing grades.  (Schuster, Alta Vista, and Moye)

This is bad.

The EPISD board of trustees is having its next meeting Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

The agenda does not include an item to discuss or take action relative to the failures.

No special meeting of the board has been called.

The Texas Education Agency grades should not be a surprise.  We would think that someone in the legion of administrators would have seen this and set the ships right.

Actions need to be taken immediately.

We deserve better,

Brutus

17 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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