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As the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest school district in the country, Houston Independent School District faces a monumental task. The district serves a widely diverse student population of more than 203,000 in the district’s 279 schools. To meet the needs of so many students, the district provides a range of educational opportunities, including an alternative learning center and online learning options. The district also boasts charter schools, college prep high schools, and a school for the visual and performing arts.

History of Houston Independent School District

states the Houston Independent School District was first established in the 1920s, during a time of exponential growth and change in the state’s school system. Houston ISD replaced the Harrisburg School System after the state legislature voted to separate governance of schools from municipal government responsibilities. The school district boasted a student population of just over 1,800 in 1899 to more than 8,800 by 1927.

During the middle years of the 20^th century, discrimination became an issue for Houston schools. In addition to the separation of African-Americans from white students that was common in southern schools at this time, Mexican Americans that resided in the Houston area also complained of discrimination. The Mexican American community launched a series of protests and boycotts to voice their displeasure with the discrimination practices, particularly in light of the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Eventually, the district successfully

Broward County Public Schools is the second-largest school district in Florida and the sixth-largest in the United States. Broward also boasts the largest, fully-accredited school district in the country. Serving more than 260,000 students in 260 schools, this district has implemented numerous programs to address the needs of all students. From magnet schools to a brand new military academy, this district strives to provide for a diverse student body, preparing them for life after their Broward County Public Schools experience.

The History of Broward County

According to the Broward County Public Schools , the first two public schools in the county opened in 1899. The first teacher for the county, Ivy Cromartie, taught nine students at one small schoolhouse while Mary Butler greeted another nine students in another. The school was only in session for around six months a year at that time since their parents needed students to help on family farms for the rest of the years.

Schools in the area continued to grow by leaps and bounds over the next few years. By 1914, Fort Lauderdale High School, which was created in 1910, boasted a study population of 325 and a full nine-month school year. Broward County was officially established in 1915, offering firm boundaries for the region. The county was named for the former governor of the state, Napoleon B. Broward. The new county was established, and the official Broward County School System followed, complete with a superintendent, board

Report cards were recently released for the 1,750 schools in the state of Oklahoma under the new evaluation system implemented by the state’s Department of Education. While most schools were not entirely surprised with their marks, some districts complained that the new system did not adequately assess some of their schools. Others are busy celebrating the high marks they received, attributing their outstanding academic performance to a wide variety of factors.

New Grading System Overview

The Oklahoma legislature created the new method of grading schools to create “accountability and transparency among schools,” according to the . Lawmakers also wanted to make the grading system easy for parents to understand, so they could make educated decisions about the best schools for their children. It was also designed to help schools identify specific weaknesses so that targeted solutions for strengthening and improving schools could be implemented.

“These report cards are user-friendly, straightforward and fair,” Janet Barresi, State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Oklahoma, told the Oklahoma Daily. “It is high time for parents to have access to this information as they seek to make the best educational choices for their children. Parents have a basic right to this information, and they should be able to find it easily.”

The new grading system employs a formula that takes a number of factors into consideration when determining overall school performance. explains that the new grading system looks

Cell phones have become an artificial appendage to many adults today, and teenagers have followed suit on this trend. However, many middle and high schools have adopted serious restrictions on cell phone use during school hours, with some schools still requiring students to keep cell phones completely out of sight as long as classes are in session. Other schools are beginning to lift many of those restrictions as teachers realize the learning potential inside these small handheld devices. While the specific rules depend on each school, the consensus is that cell phones, when used properly, can enhance the academic experience.

The Cell Phone Controversy

When students first began carrying cell phones, educators saw them primarily as a distraction in the classroom. Even more concerning was the fact that some students quickly learned how to use these devices to cheat on tests in class. The kneejerk reaction by many schools was to ban cell phones altogether, creating policies that would allow for confiscating phones that were seen in halls or classrooms during school hours.

However, Mind Shift reports that as phones become a more prevalent feature in daily life, some schools are rethinking their strict policies. According to this publication, Students are beginning to lament that cell phone restrictions are one of the greatest obstacles in bringing technology into the classroom. As more teachers find uses for those tiny computing devices, some are also beginning to side with the students on this issue.

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