John P. Kelly

At our board meeting this week, I gave the Academic Excellence Indicator Report to those assembled. This state generated report compares our district to state averages and standards in the areas of student achievement, staffing, salaries, finances, and taxes. Here are some of the more important findings:

• The percentage of minority students in Boerne ISD is now at an all time high of 25 percent and increased about 2 percent from 2006/07 to 2007/08. We are becoming more diverse. 

• Our district is rated "Acceptable" in 2007. The state's rating is based on a district's lowest sub-population scores. Our overall TAKS passing percentages for all students tested in grades 3 through 11 are as follows:  Reading 97 percent, Math 91 percent, Writing 95 percent, Social Studies 97 percent, Science 92 percent. Our economically disadvantaged sub-population scores are as follows: Reading 88 percent, Math 74 percent, Writing 88 percent, Social Studies 85 percent; Science 66 percent. 

• Although our scores for this disadvantaged population remain significantly above state averages, the entire state’s results are below expectations for these children. And Boerne ISD made its job more difficult this past year by inserting a larger percentage of students into the standardized testing program. Overall, we tested 95 percent of our student body compared to a statewide average of 91.6 percent. Perhaps most crucially, we increased the number of economically disadvantaged test takers by a large percentage in one year. Current federal guidelines pressure states and districts into eventually placing 97 percent of the student body into yearly standardized testing.  

• According to the AEIS report, our district and campuses received a total of 31 "Gold Performance Acknowledgements." These awards are given for very high performance in different tested areas. We received a record number of these acknowledgements in both 2006 and 2007. 

• Compared to a statewide average of 84 percent, 100 percent of our seniors passed the requisite TAKS standards for graduation in 2006.

• Our most recent SAT averages (verbal and math combined for the class of 2005 and 2006) are 1064, which is 73 points higher than the state average. Our Hispanic SAT score average of 1075 for the class of 2005 is also particularly notable since it is higher than the average for ALL Texas students that year. 

• The high school completion rate measures the percentage of students who complete high school four years after 9th grade. Boerne ISD has a completion rate of 97 percent compared to a statewide average of 80 percent. 

• The state also measures the percentage of students that school districts retain (i.e. repeat a grade level the following year). Although the BISD retention rate fades to less than 1 percent after first grade, we retain a higher percentage of kindergartners (5.4 percent) than the state average (2.9 percent). Thus we retained an average of 5 kindergarten students per elementary school in BISD.

• Compared to a 21 percent statewide average, 25 percent of our teachers have a master’s or doctorate degree. Our teachers have an average of 13 years of experience, which is two more years than the state average.  Our teacher turnover rate is about 4 percent lower than the state average. Our class size averages (district wide) are approximately two students fewer than the state average.  Although our overall teacher salaries were slightly higher than the state average ($45,548 vs. $44,897) in 2006/07, this can be mis-leading because our teachers have on average two more years of experience. When experience is factored in, our teachers made about $1,000 less than the state average. We may have helped close that gap with the $2,500 additional boost to BISD teacher salaries in 2007/08. 

• District tax rates are divided into two categories:  maintenance/operations and interest/sinking.  Our maintenance/operations tax rate equaled the state average of $1.33 last year but our interest/sinking rate of $.29 was 18 cents higher.  BISD spends slightly less than the state average on payroll and other operating expenses and a higher percentage of our operating expenses go to direct instructional costs than the state average.  But we spend twice as much on debt service and capital outlay than state averages because we're constantly building new schools. 

• This year (2007/08) our overall tax rate decreased from $1.62 to $1.33 due to two intertwined factors:  state action to replace property taxes with state funds and an overall increase in our local tax base. 

• In 2006-2007, 87 percent of BISD revenue came from local taxes.  This compares to a 48 percent average elsewhere in Texas. Note that because we are designated a "Robin Hood" district, we must remit $5 million of those local taxes to the state. 

Three of our eight BISD campuses just received notice this month that they are listed among the best in the state according to Texas Monthly magazine. One of those schools has just been nominated by the state for the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award (noting that only 26 schools out of more than 7,500 were so nominated.)  Our other campuses are achieving very similar overall results but contain a higher percentage of disadvantaged students, making those accolades more challenging to earn. We celebrate what we've done well on every campus. But we realize we can't rest on our laurels until all our students experience what most already do.