How Is Klein ISD Doing?

[Callo]

I haven't been there in a while, so I'm curious: how is the Klein area schools doing lately? I know Klein Forest is crap, but I've heard the rest of the district is starting to decline as well.

[kylejack]

I graduated Klein High in 1999, but don't really know.

[ricco67]

I haven't been there in a while, so I'm curious: how is the Klein area schools doing lately? I know Klein Forest is crap, but I've heard the rest of the district is starting to decline as well.

From what my kiddo said (class of 07), the drug problems were getting out of hand and the administrators and parents are in denial and think its just the "bad" kids who are the root of the problems.

[RedScare]

From what my kiddo said (class of 07), the drug problems were getting out of hand and the administrators and parents are in denial and think its just the "bad" kids who are the root of the problems.

So what makes it any different than in 1978 when I was there?

[Forest]

I haven't been there in a while, so I'm curious: how is the Klein area schools doing lately? I know Klein Forest is crap, but I've heard the rest of the district is starting to decline as well.

Wow... what a loaded question/back-handed slam.

Yeah, Klein Forest is a lot different than the other Klein schools -- it was THE ONLY KLEIN SCHOOL that made Newsweek's Top 1,500 Public Schools List this summer. http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160

Wow -- it is terrible the way the graduating seniors at Klein Forest received only $3.6 million in scholarships this past May. And gee, only 786 students took AP tests at the school last year (probably has the largest no. of kids in AP classes in the distrcit). What a shame... what an indication of a "crap" school. Oh, yeah, did I mention that 8 Klein Forest educators were recognized last year for their excellence or that its publications won Gold Keys in the Scholastic Writing contest.

And hey, from a purely fun level -- did you see how the football team just crushed Dallas Carter last weekend?

Sure, Klein Forest's TAKs scores may be lower than the rest of the district -- they have the highest percentage of low-income students than any other school in the district and let's face it.... the TAKS test is really about how well you teach the test or how your school lacks diversity.

But please -- GET YOUR FACTS straight. I hate the way people love to just generalize such things -- and no one attempts to correct them. For example, from what I've heard Klein Oak is now No. 1 for drugs and pregnant teens -- but hey, that is basically a rumor -- I'm sure someone from Klein Oak will speak up and correct me. But, you know, why not spread a bunch of crap about another Klein school since it has become so acceptable to do so about Klein Forest.

[crone]

Bless you, Forest

I wonder where these folks get their information. The kid down the street from me is really liking Princeton. If Forest were so bad, how did she get there? Six of her classmates are also in Ivy League schools.

Kids within less than a block from me attend both Wunderlich and Kleb. From what the moms tell me, Wunderlich ,by far, is the better managed school.

My school teacher children tell me that many times when kids score O.K. on these State test it does not mean that they are bright, only that they can follow instructions. Doesn't mean that they can think.

Keep up the good work of advocating for Forest. When you consider that the student body there is over 52% low income, they are doing better than the comfortable kids to the north.

[Highway6]

Some time ago I took the Children at Risk Houston area school rankings for the last 3 years, since they've put out those rankings, and put together a spreadsheet that compares ISDs and shows the average rankings for the schools in those Houston area districts.

Here is a link describing what factors they use to compile their rankings... and it isn't just Taks tests.

That spread sheet can be seen here.

http://spreadsheets....d=1&output=html

As for Klein ISD. They would be a middle of the pack ISD on par with Cy-Fair except for the Fact that Klein Forest has brought them down considerably.

As for the Klein Forest defenders.. Yeah, good for your football team. And good for the Princeton student... I'm sure most schools, even the worst, have a handful of students that deserve to get into the best schools every year or so.

I don't know what Newsweek is smoking but Klein Forest has been the lowest ranked of the 4 Klein schools each of the last 3 years.

[kylejack]

Newsweek is using this:

Public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews:the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridgetests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by the numberof graduating seniors.

[Highway6]

Newsweek is using this:

Seems like a pretty ate up way of comparing schools. Let's just rank the students that have a future.

[Forest]

Seems like a pretty ate up way of comparing schools. Let's just rank the students that have a future.

OK, let's get it straight? We like rankings if they make Klein Forest look bad... but if they actually come out ahead on something -- the data is bad.

Back to the originally question -- "how is Klein doing?"

I have one child at Wunderlich and one at Klein Forest so this is a strictly biased opinion from a parent who spends a lot of time volunteering at both schools. I give the district high marks. Yes, the demographics in the district have dramatically changed in the last 10 years. They've gone from not really caring about how to improve the schools south of 1960, to actually putting in great principals and programs to improve these schools.

Things I really like about Wunderlich:

--These middle school kids have "standardized dress," a.k.a uniforms. Even the best middle schools in Klein have had issues with young girls "hanging" out of their clothes at this age ... and also boys with sagging pants etc. It takes a lot of social pressure off the kids to just wear khaki shorts/pants and polos.

--They managed to squeeze in an extra period of math for all three grade levels -- it's one of the only middle schools in the district that have this.

--Top-notch orchestra program -- at one time it was the largest in the district. The band and the band directors are also amazing and have a great program.

--They are very strict with the kids and really don't care who your Mom and Dad are -- my daughter got detention for walking (instead of running) in PE at the end of the year. I like it because everyone is treated equally -- they don't make exceptions.

What I like about Klein Forest:

-Again - fantastic orchestra and band programs -- last spring, the orchestra went to Orlando to record a song for Disney. Band director has won tons of awards and band has been designated as Grammy signature school. Really, all Klein schools have great music programs but just to assure you ... KF is just as good as the others.

--Empahsis from administrators on "how can we help your child succeed." Yes, this includes kids who have had babies or been in trouble but also the middle of the road kids that need a boost.

--The House system -- they break the 3,500 students into 7 or 8 "Houses" so you basically have a "school within a school" ... each House has its own principal and counselors -- basically puts everyone into smaller learning communities

--Great clean facility with a new wing and teaching theater. By comparison, Klein High is a mess ... practically a fire hazard ... I feel like my child is very safe at this school.

--Tablet PCs -- the kids get them in mid-Sept. Klein Oak already has these and KF is next in line.

Wunderlich and Klein Forest may not work for everyone but these schools work great for my children. Even better -- I don't have to drive all over the place -- just a few blocks from my house to get them back and forth to all of their extracurricular activities.

[Highway6]

OK, let's get it straight? We like rankings if they make Klein Forest look bad... but if they actually come out ahead on something -- the data is bad.

Ok.. Let ME get this strait. You only like national rankings that make your school look good and hate the local rankings that make your school look bad ?

Method A

Public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by JayMathews:the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/orCambridgetests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by thenumberof graduating seniors.

Method B

13 indicators used.

TAKS – ELA (TSI) / TAKS – Math (TSI) / TAKS – Social Studies / TAKS – Science

SAT/ACT test-takers / SAT score / ACT score

AP/IB test-takers / AP/IB students passing

Advanced Courses / Class size / Recommended HS Plan / Graduation rate / Economically Disadvantaged

I wasnt part of the Houston area public school system, nor do i have kids.

I have no interest nor stock in what schools look good and what schools look bad.

You do. Who's the more unbiased one here ??

And if I hear one more person moan about TAKS tests only testing ones ability to test as an excuse for why their school did poorly. I know nothing about TAKS.. and they well may be a load of dung. BUT.. it is still a measure that is being used in every school.. in every district.. therefore it one of many legitimate tools used for comparing those schools.

___________________________________________________

Full Ranking Methodology for the Children at Risk Local Rankings

[Forest]

You do. Who's the more unbiased one here ??

___________________________________________________

Full Ranking Methodology for the Children at Risk Local Rankings

As I mentioned in my earlier post -- I am biased. I like the schools. The original question was about how Klein was doing as a district. And I responded as a parent in the district. So, the headline is: "Great things happening at KF. Don't believe everything you hear ... about any school .... anywhere." It really boils down to this: are the children at this school having some fun -- like going to football games, staging plays, participating in a myriad of clubs? Yes. Are the students being given the academic opportunities and does the administration encourage academic excellence in its staff? Yes. Do many of the students have to overcome socio-economic hurdles to succeed? Yes. Are there gangs, drugs and kids who are looking for trouble. Yes --AT ALL OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS ... Not just Klein, not just Spring, not just HISD... but Katy, Cy-Fair etc. etc.

[mrfootball]

Klein is overall considered a desirable district along the likes of Conroe, Cy-Fair and Katy.

Klein has 4 HS (a 5th on the way). 3 out of those 4 are considered 'good' by typical white middle/upper middle class families.

[klein]

Klein High is overcrowded this year.

[ChampionsAdam]

I haven't been there in a while, so I'm curious: how is the Klein area schools doing lately? I know Klein Forest is crap, but I've heard the rest of the district is starting to decline as well.

6 months ago you were living in southern California and now that you are here (in Westador ... zoned to Westfield) you know that Klein Forest is crap? Now that's rich!

[kylejack]

6 months ago you were living in southern California and now that you are here (in Westador ... zoned to Westfield) you know that Klein Forest is crap? Now that's rich!

hahahahaha

[ProHouston]

Klein is overall considered a desirable district along the likes of Conroe, Cy-Fair and Katy.

Klein has 4 HS (a 5th on the way). 3 out of those 4 are considered 'good' by typical white middle/upper middle class families.

1) Is this based on a study?

2) Why are whites singled out?

3) Why are middle/upper middle class families singled out?

Shouldn't a school be good for all demographics? Not just one?

[LTAWACS]

Last I heard, that part of town was experiencing a rise in crime. Surely, part of this is due to some bad apples in the schools up there, but I would be reluctant to limit the source of this to only the bad kids. I would say in general that area is declining rapidly. Ugh.

[Forest]

Last I heard, that part of town was experiencing a rise in crime. Surely, part of this is due to some bad apples in the schools up there, but I would be reluctant to limit the source of this to only the bad kids. I would say in general that area is declining rapidly. Ugh.

Actually crime is up all over. I've been getting up very early and walking from one end of our neighborhood that borders FM 1960 to the other end ... we've been doing this for more than three years and the worst thing we ever run into are some skunks and other wildlife. Also, criminals or "bad apples" also know how to cross the street. I always think it is hysterical that people slightly north of 1960 are always dissing things south of 1960 as if the Berlin Wall stands between them and any criminal element.

[psilverot]

Even though this side of town is experiencing a decline, I think it's only for the moment. Every area goes through a cycle. Memorial or the memorial city area was nice in the beginning stages and then it suffered for a while. Now the area is booming again. I think right now the Willowbrook area is going through its bad phase. It's only a matter of time before these homes will gain value again more than ever... Again the mansions are in place. Lets face it: Of all the suburbs only this area (champion forest, Greenwood Forest, Northgate, etc...) and the woodlands (Carlton Woods, East Shore, etc...) has mansions that compare to the inner city (River Oaks, Memorial, South Hampton, West U, etc...) They aren't going anywhere... I think the hype right now is in the Woodlands, Cypress, Pearland, Katy, Sugarland, Kingwood, Baybrook areas.... They will get there soon. This area has been around... It'll come with time. What makes things worse is people making up derogatory comments about an area just to make theirs look better when its not... Just my opinion...

Last I heard, that part of town was experiencing a rise in crime. Surely, part of this is due to some bad apples in the schools up there, but I would be reluctant to limit the source of this to only the bad kids. I would say in general that area is declining rapidly. Ugh.

[crone]

Will everyone who comments on how bad this area is, please state how long you have lived here and where? My family moved back to Houston the 1st. time in 1974. We bought in Westador. I promise you that crime was much worse then. Every house in the neighborhood was robbed. When the construction stopped so did the break ins. Many people even thought our crime problem was the result of the competition between the sheriffs department and the constables office. Subdivisions were contracting for private security services. We moved to Ponderosa, back and forth to St. Louis and Dallas a couple of times, and now live in the Champions area in the Klein Forest attendance zone. To my knowledge, there has been one break in in Woods 2 in the last 10 years. The house was undergoing extensive renovation and the family was out of town. An upstairs window was left unlocked to enable the crooks to enter. A couple of years ago, some things were taken from unlocked cars, parked in driveways. There was a random car jacking at a drugstore and a woman was hurt. The home of an elderly woman was broken into in Huntwick about 6 months ago.

There is reason to think the crook had some kind of prior knowledge of the house. That's it, as far as I know. What are you guys fixated on? The sort of shoot em ups that happen any place where there are a lot of bars and trashy night life? There are millions of people in this area of the country. What do you expect? There was a time when massage parlors would set up shop on the 45 feeders. A man from the community would take pictures of the visitors coming and going and the put them up in the window at the grocery store. The trailers moved, and the County Commissioners named a park after James Driver. Any perceived decline is being bought to us by some PR outfit trying to sell new houses in Bridgelands and the Woodlands. They have even started in on Glennloch Farms. I think most of this trash talk about our area is being done by folks being paid to do it.

[Forest]

I think most of this trash talk about our area is being done by folks being paid to do it.

Right on!

I've lived in Greenwood Forest since 1997 and have experienced ZERO issues with crime. We all hear about things from time to time that concern us and we are all being more vigilent these days -- again, crime is up everywhere. I don't understand how people can characterize this area as "declining" when it has a Barnes&Noble, Container Store, Carrabba's, Campioni's, Pei Wei, Steinmart etc. Gee, I'll take my 'hood any day

[Highway6]

I think most of this trash talk about our area is being done by folks being paid to do it.

Right out of the liberal's current play book... way to go champ.

[crone]

What do you mean? Liberal playbook? PR people that I am related to are apolitical. They tell me that many in that industry are also amoral. Is you comment designed to diminish me as a person, or to discount my opinion? I'm just defending my school and neighborhood from people who have no daily contact with either. It is a good place to live. Trying to use incendiary comments about total strangers is no way to gain insight into a situation.

[Highway6]

What do you mean? Liberal playbook? PR people that I am related to are apolitical. They tell me that many in that industry are also amoral. Is you comment designed to diminish me as a person, or to discount my opinion? I'm just defending my school and neighborhood from people who have no daily contact with either. It is a good place to live. Trying to use incendiary comments about total strangers is no way to gain insight into a situation.

I didn't call you liberal. I said you stole from their playbook. You tried to diminish the message by discrediting the messenger. You don't like or agree that anyone might say something bad about your neighborhood, so you discredit the messenger as someone's opinion that shouldn't count.. because they are obviously shills being paid to say something so preposterous.

Right out of the liberal's current playbook - Democrats at the recent town meetings accusing dissenters of being paid to be there, or coming in from other districts, or being too well dressed to be from their district. They don't like the message, so instead of shooting the messenger, they claim he had no right to deliver his message in the first place.

No. You are not defending your neighborhood against those that don't live there, you made a blanket statement assuming that anyone that disagrees with you must be being paid to say so.

I never made incendiary remarks about the neighborhood, nor have i made any statements regarding crime. I only posted local poll information that would indicate otherwise in response to your neighbors trumpeting what a great district Klein ISD is.

[Highway6]

To be fair to the district.. I also blamed the district's status solely on Klein Forest bringing them down. The rest of the district appears to be fairly respectable. Klein Forest was 53 out of 83 public school in the 13 biggest area districts last year. Their average over the past 3 years has been about 10 spots lower. I have a good friend who teaches at KF, and I've heard enough horror stories about the student body there.

As far as its problems being the fault of the district, or due to the nature of the neighborhood's demographics, I would point out that nearby Aldine and Eisenhower are equally dismal in the rankings. However nearby JV, CyCreek, and Westfield appear to be far superior on average, though Westfield slipped alot last year and wasnt much better than KF in the 09 rankings. Nearby Klein HS appears to be the creme of the crop in your district as it has averaged in the top 15 the past 3 years.

[VicMan]

I didn't call you liberal. I said you stole from their playbook. You tried to diminish the message by discrediting the messenger. You don't like or agree that anyone might say something bad about your neighborhood, so you discredit the messenger as someone's opinion that shouldn't count.. because they are obviously shills being paid to say something so preposterous.

People on both sides of the political spectrum try to discredit the messengers.

Having said that, whether one is paid or not, disrupting a town hall meeting is not at all kosher.

[crone]

Sorry to have jumped to the wrong conclusion Hwy 6. I apologize. We may be on the same page. I have long had a problem with the way the district runs KF. Perhaps it is because they threatened to arrest me for holding a tiny little hand lettered vote no sign at their open house during the 2004 bond election.. At that time, a friend who lives in GF and volunteered at Forest said she counted almost 500 affidavits from students transferring to Forest from schools such as Eisenhower. At a board meeting. Dr. Cain said that KISD did not check to see if the kids really lived in the Forest zone. The next morning I called Cy Fair to inquire if they checked where the affidavit kids lived. The person giving me the tutorial said yes they did. If not, they would have a severe problem at Jersey Village. In 1966 I attended the Baptist church in Galveston. Somebody did a membership study for future planning purposes and discovered the impending demographic changes in Texas. The date certain for a minority majority was so far off I knew I would be an old woman. I think the date has arrived. The dilemma remains. Just because kids are poor does not mean they can't learn. The district just was not prepared for the urbanization of part of its territory. One of the principals they put at Forest was not equipped to help her teachers. Forest has had 4 principals in 9 years. That hasn't helped. My daughter taught at Jeff Davis for awhile. She had no problems because all of her students wanted to be at school to learn. The ones who did not, dropped out. KISD could just refuse all Federal aid. That is mostly free lunch funding and is about 10% of their budget. Anybody can save 10%. All the people who want reduced and free lunch would have to move or go back to HISD. I still believe that kids at Forest who want to learn, can. Competent faculty is there. Nobody I know is afraid for their kids safety. There is more to a good school than a state test. And, this is still a great neighborhood.

[Highway6]

I'm a product of private school education, so take my opinion of your school and district for what its worth. My mom briefly taught at Jefferson Davis, and i heard the horror stories. My buddy teaches at KF, and i hear the horror stories. I have teachers in my family and all i hear about is the beauracratic mess, funding woes, teachers complaining about standardized testing, one big horror story that is public education system that I never had to deal with.

Now i realize there are some good districts, and i realize there are some great public schools. Lord knows I have buddies, much more successful than me, that are products of some of our better suburban districts. I'm also a realist that realizes in my chosen profession, there is a slim to none chance that i will be able to afford to send my future kid to a private school.. which is why I've taken an interest in school districts.. which is why i have a google map with every district and zone mapped out in the area... which is why I keep track of indivual school's performance.... so that when I'm ready to buy a house or land in the next few years, I'll have good targets to aim for.

I haven't bothered to compare my big district google map with crime statistics. I really can't weigh in on if your neighborhood is getting better, or getting worse. Every bad district has good apples, as every good district, or private school, has bad apples. However, I have lived in Houston most my life and generally know the various areas of town that have crime issues. All i can say is that based on my research and experience, the Klein Forest district is not one I'd be inclined to look in when it comes down to buying a house.

[Forest]

All i can say is that based on my research and experience, the Klein Forest district is not one I'd be inclined to look in when it comes down to buying a house.

Please when you're doing your google maps and comparing statistics -- be sure to actually walk in the doors of a few schools. Many times, the data doesn't match -- it doesn't clue you into how many kids have access to too much money and too much free time. The numbers won't show the rampant "affluenza" that can make your child's life miserable. All I can say is many "horror" stories are spread by people who aren't happy in their jobs or maybe there's a new principal who isn't tolerating teachers who are phoning it in. People who work on the front line of administration usually see the "worst of the worst" at all schools -- I've learned over the years to just take what they're saying with a grain of salt. Good luck.