More questions from than answers, Vote NO!

Subject: RE: Open letter to Klein ISD Board of Trustees concerning the 2008 bond

Academically, Klein High far out performs every school in the district and has continued to increase in its academic standing as the other high schools have decreased. Klein High in 1999 had an academic score of 185 and Klein Oak had an academic score of 164. The higher the number, the better the score. These are hard numbers based on standardized tests. Since 1999, the gap of 21 points has widened to 50 points. This is an increase in disparity of over 100% in less than 10 years. I have included graphs below showing the 2007 comparisons in detail along with a link where you can research yourself. Klein High ranks 109 in the state and Klein Oak currently ranks 350. If we continue as we have in the past to spend disparately within the district, this gap in school performance will continue to widen as it has historically.

I guess what I keep struggling with is getting an answer to my questions. I keep hearing the same statements but they do not seem to address my questions. Dr. Cain nor the school board have answered my questions. Perhaps I need to ask them more clearly. I will restructure them in the manner in which I think you attempted to answer them. I will not re-ask the questions you did not address.

Regarding the difference between Klein High and the elementary schools. You may recall that there were 4 elementary schools that had the problem with mold and the total number of students exceeded 3000. I agree there is a difference but it favors the elementary students not the high school students. I have had a high school student and an elementary student. The high school student is much more capable of taking care of himself and adapting to difficulties in his environment.

I have heard Dr. Cain's explanations. However, I have a hard time reconciling them with his own engineers’ recommendation to spend $13.8 million to remodel Klein High as opposed to $150 million to rebuild it. It seems like the engineers were hired to make a recommendation and then that recommendation was ignored.

Were the engineers involved in the steering committee discussion?

What was the reason their recommendation was not followed?

Are you saying it would cost more money to remodel Klein High over 4 years than it would to delay the opening of the new school, demolition Klein High and rebuild it completely?

The $13.8 million was a total estimate correct?

Since this approach makes sense with Klein High will we use it with other high schools or intermediates or is Klein High a special case?

Has any other school district in the state or country done this?

When it comes to the bond passing, we can get another bond up for a vote very quickly. Several other districts including Spring have done this in less time.

A bigger question is why are they having us vote on this in a non-election cycle when this will be the only thing on the ballot?

We must stop robbing from one part of the district to guarantee that the other part continues to improve. This bond exemplifies the wrong philosophy. Lets help the kids that need it.

Tables and Figures
http://www.psk12.com/rating/USindivphp/SchID_16609.html
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/search.aspx


Klein Oak

Test
Score
State-WideRanking
Region-WideRanking
Standard Ranking
223.1
***
***
Grade 9 Reading Percent Pass
90.0
***
***
Grade 9 Math Percent Pass
74.0
***
***
Grade 9 All Tests Percent Pass
72.0
***
***
Grade 10 Reading Percent Pass
91.0
***
***
Grade 10 Math Percent Pass
75.0
***
***
Grade 10 Science Percent Pass
67.0
***
***
Grade 10 Soc Studies Percent Pass
89.0
***
***
Grade 10 All Tests Percent Pass
60.0
***
***
AP/IB Percent Take
25.4
***
***
AP/IB Percent Above Crit.
60.5
***
***
SAT/ACT Percent Take
65.7
***
***
SAT Average
1060.0
***
***
ACT Average
22.3
***
***


Klein High
Test
Score
State-WideRanking
Region-WideRanking
Standard Ranking
273.7
***
***
Grade 9 Reading Percent Pass
95.0
***
***
Grade 9 Math Percent Pass
83.0
***
***
Grade 9 All Tests Percent Pass
82.0
***
***
Grade 10 Reading Percent Pass
96.0
***
***
Grade 10 Math Percent Pass
85.0
***
***
Grade 10 Science Percent Pass
80.0
***
***
Grade 10 Soc Studies Percent Pass
95.0
***
***
Grade 10 All Tests Percent Pass
74.0
***
***
AP/IB Percent Take
20.3
***
***
AP/IB Percent Above Crit.
79.5
***
***
SAT/ACT Percent Take
97.4
***
***
SAT Average
1085.0
***
***
ACT Average
23.7
***
***