Leaving (Even) the Best Behind

(Source: I don't care. Who has 10 minutes to spend on this kind of thing??)

A Lunchtime RANT from the blogger:

This was on my morning's Facebook feed: "Find the mistake." How about playing a similar game with education data?

A new study by a group of economists (!) analyzes the effect of the “Top 10%” rule on college enrollment in Texas, using an unnamed large urban district as its subject pool.  You can find that study here, along with other misinterpreted, irrelevant, and misleading work that makes one reconsider Stanford's place in higher education.

The study does provide some interesting insight by comparing those who make the cutoff (a lot of white females) to those who miss the cutoff.  The researchers found that this rule does not lead to an increase in enrollment, as these students were going to college, anyway.  The rule does affect which college they attend, though.  Students tend to matriculate at UT-Austin or A&M at the expense of private colleges and other highly-selective institutions.

Lost in the overall focus of this study was one key figure.  "Fortunately" for me, it was shown on a bar graph. The figures were derived from the researchers' calculations. Think of this like Facebook; see if you can spot the MISTAKE we're making:

Yes, you can remark that these white females choose flagship schools. That's fine. That's comfortable. Here is what is NOT FINE:

A full 42% of students who finished in the top 10% of their class in this district did not matriculate ANYWHERE! 

In fact 45% of the top 10% never took an ACT or SAT. These are the "successful" students of the bunch, not the castoffs.  We're not even considering the top 25%, let alone reconsidering the full 70% of high school graduates that die on the vine after high school.  This is just how we treat the top 10%: cutting it to less than 6% at the start--or in the case of the others, the "finish."

Out of the best and brightest students, Texas' education system has managed to kill off almost half the dreams, half the potential, half the incredible upside from this "large unnamed urban school district." That's unconscionable, immoral, and absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Down here, we call that "A Texas Miracle."

Send those smart kids to STC. Send the others, too. We'll give them a future, since nobody at UHS (Unnamed High School) seems to care.

"There are important questions that our paper does not address."

No kidding.

Sub-Zero Coke

In the course of a week, I lost my wife and a billion dollars.  March Madness is awful. One bright spot seemed to be the Coca-Cola Zero's Bracket Challenge.

I'm supposed to receive a $50 gift card, as well, to the sporting goods store of the "sponsor's choice." My guess is it's Scheel's Sporting Goods; all I have to do is drive to Iowa to redeem it.  Today, though, it hit me: my team isn't supposed to be here.  What's on the line tonight?  What is the prize if your #7 team wins it all???  Maybe you get a t-shirt!  I'd wanted one, but the "Bracket Challenge Gear" disappears amazingly fast.  Each year, I end up with credits I can't use.  Still, it seemed worth at least one more check on their site to see what was on the line tonight.

I became very interested when I saw the Coke Zero bracket with the prizes:

That's incredible!!  Who would have thought that my fortunes would turn like that?  If they win, I'm going to the Final Four in Indianapolis!  I wanted to learn more about where I would stay and if I'd get to meet Frampton or something.

When you dig for things, though, you realize this is too good to be true:

a.  Championship Game Grand Prize - A check for $50,000; Championship Game First Prizes (if any and up to 10, depending on which team wins the Championship Game) - Trip for 2 to 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis. SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR COMPLETE PRIZING AND PROGRAM DETAILS.

Oh. I'm not GOING to the championship game, in all likelihood.  However, others who did the same things as me (and got just a little luckier) WILL be attending.

Also in the FAQ section:

1. If the Championship game winner is a Seed one team, the person with that corresponding team game piece will be the potential winner of the $50,000 prize. If a seed 2-16 wins the Championship game, all participants with the game piece corresponding to the winning team will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win the grand prize of $50,000 and one of ten trips for 2 to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis, IN.

Once you get to the OFFICIAL RULES, things get even worse.  Now the upper limit has dropped to six (6) winners.  No reason to put that out front.  Keep it tucked underneath messages that will tell you completely different things.

Championship Game First Prizes (if any, and up to 6, depending which team wins the Championship Game of the Tournament, see details in Section 8, above): A trip for 2 to Indianapolis, IN for the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®. Trip package includes round trip, coach-class air transportation for 2 from a major airport near winner's home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion); 4 nights' accommodations at Sponsor's choice of hotel (single room, double occupancy); and 2 tickets to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®, which includes the National Semifinals & Championship Final Games (seat locations to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion). Winner must travel on the dates specified by the Sponsor, surrounding the 2015 NCAA® Final Four® game, or prize will be forfeited. Travel must be round trip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and those set forth by the Sponsor's airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract.

If you live 250 miles away, Coke will pay you $0.40/mile to travel to/from Indianapolis. This Coke Zero Bracket Challenge is a HUGE promotion, and it means very little at the end to just about anyone who got involved.

I appreciate the free sodas...though they tend to "not quite materialize" after the tournament is finished. It takes months to get them, anyway. The downloads may be nice, but it will depend on the song choices. I'm not sure if the "Movie Money" will be useful at my local theatres. Still waiting for that "Frank's Used Sporting Goods" gift card...probably without any actual address to said place.

The problem is this: Coke told me it mattered, so I told people it mattered. I believed them. I viewed the initial, most public statement and took the Coca-Cola Company at that. Only curiosity led me to this kind of disappointment. Now, I guess I hope Kentucky wins.  Many will be close enough to earn that sub-IRS rate for travel.

It doesn't matter if it's a wife walking out after 23 years or a soft drink company strongly implying that this time will be different.  You should know up front, and be allowed to guard your heart and soul accordingly.

Dear Clint:

An open letter to an award-winning high school teacher that eloquently voiced frustration regarding the treatment of America's immigrant students.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment
South Texas College
2501 W. Pecan Blvd.
McAllen, TX  78501
March 15, 2014



Clint Smith
Parkdale High School
6001 Good Luck Rd
Riverdale Park, MD 20737

Dear Mr. Smith:

Greetings from the Front Lines of the War for America's Future, otherwise known as Hidalgo and Starr Counties in Texas. My name is Paul Henley, and I am the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment at South Texas College. I would like to suggest a potential solution to alleviate your frustration. There is a new scholarship fund designed specifically for people like your student, Maria.

As the site states,

"TheDream.US is a new multimillion dollar National Scholarship Fund for DREAMers, created to help immigrant youth who’ve received DACA achieve their American Dream through the completion of a college education."

There are 1,000 scholarships, each worth a whopping $25,000. My employer, as well as our sister institution, the University of Texas-Pan American, are two of only 12 institutions eligible to accept students using these funds. At last count, we had six applicants, while UTPA had eight. Other eligible schools across the nation are seeing similar numbers. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2014. At this rate, it is quite possible that some of these substantial scholarships will go unclaimed.

It strikes me as odd that the solution for the student in question may be right in front of you. While I agree there is an enormous problem, it seems a shame to be ignoring a potential solution in favor of complaining eloquently about said problem. Please direct Maria to WWW.THEDREAM.US. South Texas College is an open enrollment institution, and somebody with this young woman's credentials would do well here. She then could transfer both her coursework and her remaining money to another fine institution less than 10 miles to the north to complete her degree. All at virtually no cost to her or her family.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 956-872-3508. We would be happy to assist you, the young scholar, and any other potential candidates. It would be appreciated if you could contact Upworthy's writer, Adam Mordecai, the promoter of your video. This would allow him to promote a real solution as emphatically as he publicized the problem. Your assistance is appreciated.

You have 16 days to make this happen. Maria is counting on you. Good luck.

Best,

Paul T. Henley, Ph.D.

When All You Can Do After 10 Years Is Blog...

(Photo from Amanda Brim)

There are costs to living the #Nolana21 lifestyle in McAllen (see my FB page if you don't understand the hashtag). Most of that cost centers around my children, especially my eldest. She will graduate in June, and I've missed a lot of lasts: the last Halloween, the last influenza episode, perhaps the last tennis match she plays. I've missed soccer games and choir concerts with the other two, but I maintain hope there will be more to come.
But there is another cost that cuts like a scalpel tonight.
I received a text from my wife, DeAnn. This is all it said:

Hope your day went well!!
I'm finally getting my ten yr bowl from pisd!

I texted back: When?

Then I saw my Facebook feed...tonight, my beloved will be recognized for teaching, remediating, intervening, administrating, and leading at the Pflugerville Independent School District--for ten years. A local artist makes bowls honoring the occasion, and DeAnn Henley has earned one for the first time. She spent decades being schlepped around by an ambitious husband, moving every three years or so. This marked a sea change...or at least a respite.

She wasn't hired, at first. She was insistent that she would work at the same school her daughter and son attended. Those principals didn't seem interested. She volunteered as a parent during the first week of school. Suddenly, these same principals found themselves with too many kindergarteners in September. They saw how she handled masses of children adroitly. My son's kindergarten teacher was impressed and pushed for her hire. She began her PISD career with the kids the other teachers decided to "assign" to her. You can imagine how...eventful...that was. Note that whenever a principal left one elementary school to take over another, they made it a point to bring Mrs. Henley with them.

In the decade that transpired, DeAnn Henley became a leader. It's always been natural for her, but she has never been one to stand in front of others demanding attention. Instead, she drives meaningful change from within. She took a union local from 16 members to over 500 members, making the Pflugerville Educators Association a powerful force in the district and the Texas State Teachers Association. Her work has led to documentaries at the National Education Association: check the 59 second mark on this one:

DeAnn's work in challenging schools would become fodder for a movie--if she worked at a charter school. This is the person that brought Response to Intervention to the district before it was cool--before AIR even hosted the website.

She makes out-of-control kids focus, struggling students learn, troubled parents calm, struggling teachers better, and more "official" leaders look good.

Tonight, for ten years of helping others achieve their status in life, she will receive a token of appreciation. Luckily, she really likes these bowls! She has a collection, in fact.

She didn't even tell her husband. Probably because she knew I'd show up from 350 miles away. Perhaps she never thought the recognition was worth mentioning.

That's the kind of educator--and person--she is:  understated...and incredibly effective.

Congratulations, DeAnn!

Why Are You Living THERE???

Here's a question I ask myself on a regular basis.  Not because I doubt my decision; rather, because I find myself answering this question to other people on a regular basis.

Let me give you a few examples:

• My boss told me that he specifically doesn't bring people to campus before they agree to work at South Texas College. That's because he has lost people once they arrive and look around.
• My wife (who doesn't bother to read this blog) is hesitating to move "her" family here.
• At an American Outlaws meeting, I told people I moved here from the Austin area. One young woman looked at me and said, "You realize that for most people, it's the other way around."
• One friend, in particular, cannot stop slamming the Rio Grande Valley as a place to live.

I haven't been forthcoming in my reasons, and I spend a LOT of web space "enjoying" my time at #Nolana21. Thus, the questioning is understood down here. Keep in mind that my current living situation is based on the fact that I have a mortgage to pay already, and any SECOND household is as expensive as a college student's expenses to a family. Glad we don't have to deal with that threat...

Moving to the real reason. Let me tell you a little bit about this place:

I live in the Galilee of the 21st century. In this one, singular county, I experience the First World, the Third World, and the convergence of the two worlds. While Mexico's middle class is growing, America's middle class is shrinking. Middle class is relative, but it becomes obvious that things are melding.

Mexico is changing. Oil, gas, cellular phones, electricity, and economic policy are becoming more and more open. [NOTE: Investment Opportunity!] While the United States cannot get 56 bills through Congress, Mexico is fighting HUGE battles in a fight for modernization. They see our mistakes, and they are making adjustments. A new highway offers a true alternative to the Panama Canal for shipping...and all those shipments will arrive at or near Hidalgo County. Starr County is just a bonus for another post.

Two cultures are merging, whether it's wanted in West Virginia or not. The one thing that both cultures need is a group of future leaders--who speak English AND Spanish--to move this relationship forward. The "university" of this area is morphing, navel-gazing, and self-important. Ask anyone north of San Antonio what a degree from UTPA is worth, and you'll realize how open the game is right now.

I walk to endless meetings in semi-tropical temperatures surrounded by palm trees. These meetings decide the future of South Texas College.  They do more than that, though. They determine the future of this Valley, and by doing that, they determine the future of America...and the entire planet.

People in Pennsylvania and Oregon and South Carolina depend on what happens right here. If we get it right, the lives of people in those states (in 30 years) will be better. They won't realize it, but it's the task at hand.

This is the front line of the War for America's Future. I feel like a bird colonel.

"...the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse."

What would you give for that? 

• Would you deal with cockroaches? 
• Would you learn Spanish, as best you could? 
• Would you put everything on the line? 
• Would you face your fears of "crime" and "cartels?"
• Would you volunteer to become an outsider in a new world?
• Would you face constant loneliness for at least a year...maybe forever?
• Would you [try to] suck your family into a world they don't understand?

My answer is "Yes."

y tu?

This Glorious Team, Part One: Preparation

(Crappy picture from Forbes...you'd think they could do better.)

I am a Seattle Seahawks fan.

I used to be a passive fan. My in-laws live there, and it's really the only team I could see myself following closely with any value. There was a problem with that though.

You see, I'm from South Dakota. I've lived in eight states, and I just made a major move from the Austin area to the Rio Grande Valley (should count as #9). Wherever I live, I'm pretty much the only Seahawks fan anybody knows.

That means when the Seahawks play the Cowboys, I'm the enemy. When the Seahawks played the Vikings or Broncos or Rams or...

Wherever I went, I was the only one.

So I decided a few years back to OWN that. Sometimes, that was ironic in nature. This has not been a historically amazing team. Steelers fans? Wow--brave. Cowboys fans? Flat-out annoying "homers" and funny to watch now. I constantly posted how awesome Payton Manning was last night--because I had really gotten sick and tired of hearing it from every yap in my environment.

You get the picture: by default I had to become a more vocal fan. Fortunately, that has become a fun position to hold.

This year was my turn. Last night culminated a fantastic season. It was wonderful watching the Seahawks win so many games, but it was more compelling to watch the individual stories. I'm going to start with Russell Wilson--not because he's the best player or because it's always about the quarterback. Oh my, that was NOT the case last night. No, this is about preparation...and patience, even in the second year of your career.

The first story to mention happened after Russell's first home loss as a Seahawks QB--almost two years into his career.  It was an important game for two reasons: (1) a win would secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs; and (2) the Arizona Cardinals were a very good and improving team from the same division.  You could make a case that the Cardinals could have won last night. In that important game, the offense sputtered under Wilson, and the loss led to a very important final game that could have been much less stressful.

The next morning, Coach Pete Carroll couldn't sleep.  He got up, got dressed, and headed to the team's facility to look at game footage to find answers. When he arrived, Russell Wilson was already watching film. The team was 11-3, but two key leaders were uncomfortable with how things were going. Both saw the first step as a mental one. The approach seemed to work, with the Seahawks making short work of the St. Louis Rams in the final regular season game--one which was not broadcast anywhere I could find it.

The story led to a popular Twitter hashtag: #NoTime2Sleep.

THAT story overshadowed another one.

Last year, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks made the playoffs and beat a trendy RGIII's football team from Washington, DC. They lost a close playoff game in Atlanta, due to some mistakes, injuries, a good opponent, and bad luck. Wilson attended the Super Bowl, anyway. He came early--as he would have if he were playing--to watch the teams as they prepared on game day. The idea was to experience the process and familiarize himself with the routines and insights of the unique event. He was preparing to become a champion--mentally.

Championships seem to take one game or one series to complete. That is not the case. Preparing to win that final game takes years of focus. The same is true in most aspects of life. We hear of people living "paycheck to paycheck." I am constantly told at my new position, "We can't do that. [They/he/she/the auditors] wouldn't allow something like that." Basing your approach on an end that you have internalized--well, that changes your daily approach.

It was nice watching Russell Wilson hold that trophy. It was more special to me because I got to "watch" him prepare and work so diligently. He was constantly doing that, even from an early age. He didn't just "win the Super Bowl." Nobody does that on their own. Instead, he consistently worked to put himself into position to become the champion he is today. He won by doing those things when nobody was looking (as much as that is possible). We all have those opportunities; few of us take them. Russell Wilson did, though.

To quote another champion, "Go and do likewise."

And the Changes Keep Coming

I once prepared this for a blog that never got posted:

For a student to graduate from high school, s/he must now complete four courses in each of the four core content areas. They are also expected to complete two years of a foreign language (the same one! No exploring!). If they want the "Distinguished" program, it becomes three years of foreign language (the same one!), as well as other distinguished classes like health and speech.
That would be Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and "the other one."
Also Biology, Chemistry, Physics…and "the other one."
You get the picture. We have a core curriculum designed for three courses over four years. We just require a fourth year.

On Friday, I received this tweet:

In reality, we're still not sure what this year's Texas 8th graders need to do:

Texas testing is on the decline. Sort of. I'm not sure how Pearson would allow such a change (outside of bad press for bad tests), but for some reason, we have cut the number of standardized tests in high school. It was ridiculous and awful. Now it's just troublesome.

That doesn't change the fact that high schools--at least in this state--have become "mini community colleges." That is, everything is geared toward career advancement, beginning at age 14. Sure, there's a cannon--I wonder if it's even the right one. I'm not sure whether the over-arching demands on high school students are merited.

You see, I live here. I've battled over how much change I should or should not have received. I've seen people consistently make stupid mistakes with apostrophe's (sic). Every day, I battle my daughter's spelling deficiencies in a school that doesn't care about spelling. Handwriting is seen as a near-waste of time. Thus, I consistently see "handwritten" notes from high school students that look as though they were written by a 3rd grader.

How fast can you print?

It's a far cry from the massive requirements slammed onto our public schools by a much more conservative and removed SBOE a few years ago.  Then, the focus was on political dogma inside the textbooks. Why study too much about slavery when students should memorize the Carolina Constitution? The Gettysburg Address is compared and contrasted with the Confederacy's Inaugural Address by Jefferson Davis. [Note: I liked that one--it made Lincoln look appropriately awesome by comparison.]

Algebra II is now optional.  "Business interests" were concerned, and that is, indeed the driving force. One way or another, kids can't write or spell. The wrong questions have been asked, and children are seen (still) as commodities and not special, precious humans in the process of development.

It also fails to consider that Texas teachers are constantly having to change what they teach. New books must be written (and purchased). Teachers need to be re-re-re-re trained.

All at the whim of people who just don't seem to care.

Whether this latest spate of moves will make things better or worse has yet to be determined.  I just wish it would start from a basic question:

What do we want our high school graduates to know, do, and be like?