This chapter examines the educational services delivery and performance measures of the Mt. Pleasant Independent School District (MPISD) in the following subchapters:
- A. Student Performance
- B. Curriculum Development and Evaluation
- C. Staff Development
- D. Compensatory Education
- E. Bilingual/English as a Second Language
- F. Career and Technology Education (CATE)
- G. Gifted and Talented Program
- H. Special Student Populations
- I. Instructional Technology
The key role of any school district is educating children. Instructional programs and services should be developed, evaluated, and modified based upon student performance.
CURRENT SITUATION
MPISD has seven schools, a Child Development Center, and an alternative education campus, serving 4,463 students in 1998-99 (Exhibit 2-1). The district is served by the Regional Education Service Center VIII (RESC VIII) also in Mt. Pleasant.
Exhibit 2-1 Source: MPISD.
MPISD Campuses, Grade Levels, and Enrollment
1997-98 and 1998-99
Campus Grade Levels 1997-98 Enrollment (1) 1998-99 Enrollment (2) Mt. Pleasant High School 9-12 1,252 students 1,215 students Alternative Education various 19 students 13 students Mt. Pleasant Junior High School 6-8 608 students 618 students Wallace Middle School 4-5 652 students 643 students Corprew Intermediate 3-4 645 students 659 students Sims Elementary K-2 349 students 368 students Brice Elementary EC-2 341 students 334 students Vivian Fowler Elementary EC-2 345 students 287 students Child Development Center Headstart 247 students 326 students Total 4,458 students 4,463 students Since 1993, Texas has rated and accredited districts and schools based upon specific performance measures including the reading, writing, and math portions of the state-mandated Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), student dropout rates, and attendance rates. Districts are evaluated each year, and beginning with the 1995-96 school year, districts were rated Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, Academically Unacceptable, or Unacceptable. In 1997-98, state-approved charter schools were added to the accountability listings. During the same year, all MPISD campuses were rated acceptable. The Head Start campus was not rated because pre-K and kindergarten campuses are not rated statewide. The enrollments and ratings of MPISD and its peer districts are presented in Exhibit 2-2.
Exhibit 2-2 Source : Texas Education Agency, AEIS Report, 1997-98.
MPISD and Peer District Enrollments and Accreditation Status
1997-98
District Enrollment Accreditation Status Athens 3,450 Academically Acceptable Corsicana 5,046 Academically Acceptable Greenville 5,299 Academically Acceptable Kaufman 3,023 Academically Acceptable Kilgore 3,694 Academically Acceptable Liberty Eylau 2,706 Recognized Mt. Pleasant 4,444 Academically Acceptable Paris 3,878 Academically Acceptable Terrell 3,969 Recognized Texarkana 5,298 Academically Acceptable Exhibit 2-3 shows statewide ratings in each category for 1997-98.
Exhibit 2-3 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
Number of Texas School Districts by Accreditation Level
1997-98
Accreditation
LevelNumber of Districts Receiving
This Level of AccreditationPercentage
of TotalExemplary 120 11.3% Recognized 329 31.0% Academically Acceptable 585 55.1% Academically Unacceptable 6 0.6% Unacceptable 2 0.2% Charter School 19 1.8% As Exhibit 2-4 indicates, since 1994-95 MPISD has grown at a slower rate (5.2 percent) than the average for the state (8.1 percent), but the district's growth rate has been almost twice the average for RESC VIII districts (2.7 percent).
Exhibit 2-4 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 through 1997-98.
MPISD, RESC VIII, and State Rates of Student Growth
1993-94 through 1997-98
Entity 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percentage Change over the Period State of Texas 3,601,839 3,670,196 3,740,260 3,828,975 3,891,877 8.1% Mt. Pleasant 4,226 4,202 4,290 4,375 4,444 5.2% RESC VIII 54,316 54,661 54,943 55,450 55,766 2.7% Compared with its peer districts, MPISD's student population is growing at the second fastest rate (Exhibit 2-5). Only Kaufman has grown at a faster rate.
Exhibit 2-5 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 through 1997-98.
MPISD and Peer District Student Population Growth Rates
1993-94 through 1997-98
Entity 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percentage Change over the Period Athens 3,395 3,436 3,448 3,485 3,450 1.6% Corsicana 4,822 4,894 4,966 4,998 5,046 4.6% Greenville 5,360 5,326 5,372 5,374 5,299 -1.1% Kaufman 2,802 2,833 2,889 2,937 3,023 7.9% Kilgore 3,773 3,786 3,637 3,752 3,694 -2.1% Liberty Eylau 2,810 2,741 2,712 2,682 2,706 -3.7% Mt. Pleasant 4,226 4,202 4,290 4,375 4,444 5.2% Paris 3,908 3,855 3,860 3,961 3,878 -0.8% Terrell 3,801 3,792 3,839 3,967 3,969 4.4% Texarkana 5,451 5,502 5,535 5,401 5,298 -2.8% RESC VIII 54,316 54,661 54,943 55,450 55,766 2.6% State 3,601,839 3,670,196 3,740,260 3,828,975 3,891,877 8.1% By grade levels, MPISD has experienced a 9.2 percent increase at the elementary level (Early Childhood-Grade 5) a 2.2 percent increase at the junior high level (grades 6-8), and a 0.6 percent increase at the high school level (grades 9-12) (Exhibit 2-6).
Exhibit 2-6 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 through 1997-98.
MPISD Student Enrollment by Grade Level/School
1994-95 through 1997-98
Grade
Level
(Grades)1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percentage Change over the Period Elementary (EC-5) 2,072 2,114 2,191 2,242 2,263 9.2% Junior high school (6-8) 902 871 883 895 922 2.2% High school (9-12) 1,252 1,217 1,216 1,238 1,259 0.6% Total 4,226 4,202 4,290 4,375 4,444 5.2% Since 1996-97, MPISD is a majority-minority district, meaning that more than 50 percent of its students are members of one of the following ethnic groups: Hispanic, African American,
Native American, or Asian/Pacific Islander. The Anglo student population decreased from 52 to 44 percent of the total, while the Hispanic student population increased from 29 to 38 percent and African American students decreased slightly to 18 percent (Exhibit 2-7).
Exhibit 2-7 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 through 1997-98.
Changes in Ethnicity of MPISD Student Population
1994-95 through 1997-98
Ethnicity 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Anglo 54% 52% 50% 46% 44% Hispanic 27% 29% 31% 34% 38% African American 19% 19% 19% 19% 18% Other <1% <1% <1%
<1% <1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Note: Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.The only majority-minority district among MPISD's peer districts is Texarkana (Exhibit 2-8).MPISD has the lowest Anglo population of its peer districts and the highest Hispanic population.
Exhibit 2-8 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
Ethnicity of MPISD, Peer Districts, RESC VIII, and State Student Populations
1997-98
Entity Anglo Hispanic African American Other Athens 65% 17% 17% 1% Corsicana 49% 20% 30% 1% Greenville 59% 14% 27% 1% Kaufman 70% 21% 9% 0 Kilgore 71% 8% 22% 1% Liberty Eylau 54% 2% 43% 0 Mt. Pleasant 44% 38% 18% 1% Paris 57% 2% 39% 2% Terrell 49% 14% 35% 1% Texarkana 47% 3% 50% 1% RESC VIII 69% 7% 24% 1% State 45% 38% 14% 3%
Note: Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.During 1997-98, MPISD teachers did not reflect the ethnic composition of the student population (Exhibit 2-9).
Exhibit 2-9 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD Student and Teacher Ethnicity
1997-98
Ethnicity Students Teachers Anglo 44% 91% Hispanic 38% 5% African American 18% 5% Other 1% 0 Total 100% 100% With regard to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and economically disadvantaged, MPISD is above both the regional and state averages and has been over the past five years. The percentage of MPISD students classified as LEP was one quarter of the student population in 1997-98. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students is determined by dividing the number of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or other public assistance by the total number of students. In MPISD, students classified as economically disadvantaged exceeded one-half of the student population in 1997-98 (Exhibit 2-10 and Exhibit 2-11).
Exhibit 2-10 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 - 1997-98.
MPISD, RESC VIII, and State LEP Students
as a Percentage of Total Student Population
1993-94 through 1997-98
Entity 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Mt. Pleasant 17% 17% 19% 21% 25% RESC VIII 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% State 12% 12% 13% 13% 13% Exhibit 2-11 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 - 1997-98.
MPISD, RESC VIII, and State Economically Disadvantaged Students
as a Percentage of Total Student Population
1993-94 through 1996-97
Entity 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Mt. Pleasant 47% 50% 50% 54% 56% RESC VIII 42% 44% 45% 46% 46% State 45% 46% 47% 48% 49% Compared to its peer districts, MPISD was the fourth highest in percentage of economically disadvantaged students and by far the highest in percentage of LEP students during 1997-98(Exhibit 2-12).
Exhibit 2-12 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD and Peer District Economically Disadvantaged and LEP Students
as a Percentage of Total Student Population
1997-98
Entity Economically
Disadvantaged StudentsLEP
StudentsParis 62% 1% Liberty Eylau 59% 1% Texarkana 57% 1% Mt. Pleasant 56% 25% Corsicana 54% 8% Greenville 52% 7% Terrell 52% 6% State 49% 13% RESC VIII 46% 4% Kilgore 41% 4% Kaufman 39% 3% Athens 36% 10% The district's total expenditures in 1997-98 were $22,555,974. Of the total, operating expenditures were $19,285,989. Within operations, $11,833,212, or 61 percent, was spent on instructional functions. Instructional expenditures were higher than the regional average of 59 percent and the state average of 59 percent (Exhibit 2-13).
Exhibit 2-13 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD, RESC VIII, and State Instructional Expenditures
as a Percentage of Operating Expenditures
1997-98 Budget
Entity Operating Expenditures Instructional Expenditures Instructional Expenditures as a Percentage of Operating Expenditures Mt. Pleasant $19,285,989 $11,833,212 61% RESC VIII $267,850,790 $181,261,168 59% State $19,465,285,020 $11,571,395,230 59% MPISD is spending below the regional and state averages for regular education, special education, and compensatory education. The district is also below the regional average and above the state average for Career and Technology Education (CATE). It is well above both the state and regional averages for bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) education, which reflects the increasing number of Hispanic students entering MPISD(Exhibit 2-14).
Exhibit 2-14 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD, RESC VIII, and State Instructional Program
Expenditures as a Percentage of Total Instructional Operating Expenditures
1997-98 Budget
Program Mt. Pleasant RESC VIII State Regular education 67% 74% 71% Special education 9% 11% 12% Compensatory education 6% 7% 8% Career and Technology Education 5% 6% 4% Bilingual/ESL education 12% 1% 4% Gifted and talented education 1% 1% 2% Total 100% 100% 100%
Note: Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.Compared to its peer districts, MPISD expenditures were second lowest for regular education and the highest for bilingual/ESL education reflecting the greater percentage of Hispanic students in the district (Exhibit 2-15).The Titus County Special Education Cooperative has allowed MPISD to keep special education expenditures among the lowest of the peer districts.
Exhibit 2-15 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD, Peer Districts, RESC VIII, and State Instructional Program
Expenditures as a Percentage of Budgeted Instructional Operating Expenditures
1997-98 Budget
Entity Regular
EducationSpecial
EducationCompensatory
EducationCareer and
Technology
EducationBilingual/ESL
EducationGifted and
Talented
EducationGreenville 84% 1% 9% 3% 2% 1% Kaufman 78% 12% 5% 5% 0 1% Kilgore 74% 7% 10% 6% 1% 2% Corsicana 73% 11% 10% 5% 2% 1% RESC VIII 73% 12% 7% 6% 1% 1% Liberty Eylau 72% 14% 6% 7% 0 1% Paris 72% 13% 10% 4% 0 1% State 71% 12% 8% 4% 4% 3% Texarkana 69% 13% 12% 5% 1% 1% Terrell 68% 13% 11% 6% 0 1% Mt. Pleasant 67% 9% 6% 5% 12% 1% Athens 62% 11% 12% 5% 4% 7%
Note: Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.The expenditures by program for 1997-98 were similar to expenditures of the prior two years with several differences (Exhibit 2-16).Regular education program funding increased from 62 to 67 percent of budgeted operating expenditures, compensatory program funding declined from 15 to 6 percent, and bilingual/ESL expenditures increased from 10 to 12 percent of the total.
Exhibit 2-16 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
MPISD Instructional Program Expenditures
as a Percentage of Total Instructional Operating Expenditures
1993-94 through 1997-98
Program 1993-94 Actual 1994-95 Actual 1995-96 Actual 1996-97 Actual 1997-98 Budget Regular education 65% 62% 62% 65% 67% Special education 7% 7% 7% 8% 9% Compensatory education 8% 15% 15% 6% 6% Career and Technology Education 6% 4% 5% 6% 5% Bilingual/ESL education 11% 10% 10% 13% 12% Gifted and talented education 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Note: Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.Instructional program funding increased 11.6 percent from 1993-94 through 1997-98. The largest increases in funding occurred in bilingual/ESL, CATE, and special education, which increased 72.2, 27.5, and 17.3 percent, respectively (Exhibit 2-17). Regular education program funding increased 15.5 percent, and compensatory education funding increased 5.3 percent. Gifted and Talented education program funding declined 6.2 percent.
Exhibit 2-17 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1993-94 - 1997-98.
MPISD Instructional Program Expenditures
1993-94 through 1997-98
Program 1993-94
Actual1994-95
Actual1995-96
Actual1996-97
Actual1997-98
BudgetPercentage Change over the Period Regular education $6,826,880 $6,855,092 $7,521,659 $7,002,845 $7,885,476 15.5% Special education $881,786 $812,683 $805,280 $883,780 $1,034,101 17.3% Compensatory education N/A $1,721,454 $1,804,987 $651,078 $683,061 5.3% Career and Technology Education $475,787 $476,147 $572,663 $636,558 $606,685 27.5% Bilingual/ESL education $848,545 $1,124,211 $1,195,627 $1,354,076 $1,461,000 72.2% Gifted and talented education $173,600 $163,950 $185,805 $173,934 $162,889 -6.2% Total $10,600,453 $11,153,537 $12,086,021 $10,702,271 $11,833,212 11.6% The federal government provides funding to school districts for targeted purposes through various programs or Titles. Title I, Part A, for helping disadvantaged children at risk of failure to meet high standards; Part C for education of migratory students; Title II Part B for Dwight D. Eisenhower professional development program; and Title VI, for innovative education program strategies, were authorized in 1965 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which was last reauthorized in October 1994.
To qualify as a "schoolwide project" campus, a school must serve a student population with 50 percent of the students identified as economically disadvantaged. MPISD receives funds for programs under both Title I and Title VI. For 1997-98, MPISD received $711,655 in Title I funds, $21,693 Title II funds, and $25,397 in Title VI funds.
Title 1, Part A programs are designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged and at-risk students. Programs are designated as either schoolwide assistance, which means the funds can be used throughout the school to upgrade the entire educational program as long as the uses help meet the needs of the targeted students, or targeted assistance, which means that the funds are used for only a designated purpose, such as a computer lab, that serves the targeted students only.
MPISD has five schools with schoolwide assistance programs: Sims, Brice, and Fowler Elementary Schools, Corprew Intermediate School, and Wallace Middle School.
The purpose of the migrant program (Title I, Part C) is to ensure that migratory children have the opportunity to meet the same state content and performance standards that all children are expected to meet. The parents of children in this category are in occupations, such as farming, that require them to move from place to place during the year. By designing programs that help migrant students overcome education disruptions, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of these children to do well in school, MPISD prepares them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment.
MPISD's program is designed to identify and recruit migrant students year round. All migrant students have the option of enrolling in summer school and Project Smart, which allows migrant students to continue educational goals during the summer months. During 1997-98, 474 students were designated as migrant students (Exhibit 2-18).
Exhibit 2-18 Source: MPISD.
MPISD Enrollment in Title I, Part C Programs by School
1997-98
School Total
EnrollmentEnrollment
in ProgramPercentage of Total Enrollment in Title I, Part C Program Mt. Pleasant High School 1,252 29 2.3% Mt. Pleasant Junior High School 608 45 7.4% Wallace Middle School 652 91 14.0% Corprew Intermediate School 645 111 17.2% Sims Elementary School 349 58 16.6% Brice Elementary School 341 35 10.3% Fowler Elementary School 345 55 15.9% Child Development Center 247 50 20.2% Eisenhower program funds support staff development in critical areas of student performance such as math, advanced placement subjects, and writing. In MPISD, funds have been used to support:
- Marilyn Bums Math Solutions training in grades K-8,
- Core-Plus training in Algebra,
- 4-MAT training to assist teachers in how to differentiate instruction to accommodate student learning styles at the secondary level, and
- New Jersey Writing Program.
Since 1989, MPISD has spent Eisenhower funds to support innovative education strategies. While many districts have used the funds to purchase library books, in MPISD, the program is implemented districtwide on all campuses and includes programs that relate to integrating technology into the curriculum or providing infrastructure for such integration.
Instructional Environment
Exhibit 2-19 shows changes in full-time-equivalent (FTE) teachers in each of the instructional program areas from 1993-94 through 1997-98. CATE, special education, compensatory education, and regular education programs recorded the largest percentage increase in teacher FTEs. The gifted and talented program was the only program to experience a decrease in teacher FTEs.
Exhibit 2-19 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1994-95 - 1997-98.
Number of Teacher FTEs by Instructional Program
1993-94 through 1997-98
Program 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percentage
Change over
the PeriodRegular education 185.7 203.1 206.3 213.1 222.0 19.5% Special education 20.7 23.6 20.4 25.8 25.7 24.2% Compensatory education 21.8 28.9 28.6 23.2 26.1 19.7% Career and Technology Education 15.5 14.9 19.7 21.5 20.3 31.0% Bilingual/ESL education 31.1 36.0 35.1 37.8 35.1 12.9% Gifted and talented education 4.4 2.9 3.9 1.1 0.8 -81.8% Other (honor/migrant) 5.3 3.5 3.0 5.3 5.4 1.9% MPISD has fewer teacher FTEs in regular education, special education, and gifted and talented education programs. Reflecting its increasing Hispanic population, MPISD has much higher expenditures in its bilingual/ESL program and more teacher FTEs assigned to this program (Exhibit 2-20). Compared to its peer districts, MPISD has the fifth lowest percentage of teachers in compensatory education; the second lowest in gifted and talented education; and the highest in Bilingual/ESL.
Exhibit 2-20 Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS 1997-98.
Percentage of MPISD, Peer District, RESC VIII, and State
Teacher FTEs by Instructional Program
1997-98
Entity Regular Education Special Education Compensatory Education Career And Technology Education Bilingual/ ESL Education Gifted and Talented Education Other (Honor/
Migrant)Athens 77.5% 7.9% 4.4% 4.2% 1.8% 2.7% 1.5% Texarkana 76.8% 9.6% 3.3% 4.5% 0.7% 0.9% 4.3% RESC VIII 76.1% 8.8% 5.0% 5.6% 1.4% 0.9% 2.1% Corsicana 74.6% 10.8% 4.8% 5.4% 2.1% 0.5% 1.8% Terrell 73.4% 10.4% 6.9% 5.6% 0.6% 0.1% 3.1% Kaufman 72.2% 8.1% 8.1% 4.8% 1.7% 0.6% 4.5% State 71.2% 9.4% 4.1% 4.1% 6.8% 2.1% 2.2% Liberty Eylau 70.9% 11.8% 7.9% 6.5% 0.5% 0.7% 1.8% Greenville 67.2% 9.2% 10.4% 3.7% 2.6% 1.6% 5.3% Mt. Pleasant 66.2% 7.7% 7.8% 6.0% 10.5% 0.2% 1.6% Paris 65.8% 10.8% 12.2% 4.5% 0.6% 4.5% 1.5% Kilgore 63.4% 7.9% 13.6% 6.6% 1.5% 1.2% 5.9% In a written survey, teachers responded to several statements about the learning environment and emphasis on learning in the district (Exhibit 2-21). Eighty-one percent of the teachers responding to the survey agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD," and 60 percent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "Emphasis on learning has increased in the district in the past three years."
Exhibit 2-21 Source: TSPR Survey Results.
Responses of Teachers to Survey Statements
Percentage of Teachers by Category Statement Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree No Opinion/No Response Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD. 26% 55% 12% 3% 12% Emphasis on learning has increased in the district in the past three years. 15% 45% 13% 3% 23% Seventy-three to 91 percent of teachers at grade levels K-8, depending on the campus, either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement. Only at the high school was there significant disagreement, where 39 percent of the respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, "Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD" (Exhibit 2-22).
Exhibit 2-22 Source: TSPR Survey Results.
Responses of Teachers by Grade Level to Survey Statement
"Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD"
Percentage of Teachers by Category Statement Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree No Opinion/No Response Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD. High school 12% 40% 29% 10% 10% Junior high school 17% 63% 9% 3% 9% Middle School 32% 58% 11% 0% 0% Intermediate school 18% 55% 13% 8% 5% Elementary school 36% 55% 5% 1% 2% In response to the statement, "Emphasis on learning has increased in the district in the past three years," 73 percent of both elementary and middle school teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement; however, less than half the teachers at the junior high and high schools agreed or strongly agreed with the statement (Exhibit 2-23).
Exhibit 2-23 Source: TSPR Survey Results
Responses of Teachers by Grade Level to Survey Statement
"Emphasis on learning has increased in the district in the past three years"
Percentage of Teachers by Category Statement Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree No Opinion/No Response Student learning and education are the main priorities in MPISD. High school 10% 33% 24% 12% 21% Junior high school 3% 43% 23% 3% 29% Middle School 13% 68% 0% 0% 26% Intermediate school 13% 39% 11% 5% 32% Elementary school 24% 49% 10% 0% 17%
Texas School Performance Review
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Chapter 2
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES DELIVERY
AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Chapter 2
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES DELIVERY
AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES