The Heights To Potentially Lose 3-Schools In Re-Organization

[TheNiche]

The Harris County Jail on Franklin closed around the year 2000. Inmates are counted in the Census. If the jail closed after April 1, 2000, the inmates would have been included in the 2000 Census for downtown, but not 2010. I'd have to see the date it closed and the census tract boundary to confirm that this is the cause, but I suspect that it may be.

See this thread:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24535-houston-2010-census-results/page__view__findpost__p__381247

[RedScare]

See this thread:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24535-houston-2010-census-results/page__view__findpost__p__381247

This is what I was actually looking for...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_County_Sheriff%27s_Office_%28Texas%29#Current_facilities

You'll note that 1301 Franklin closed in 2003 at the same time that 1200 Baker Street opened across the bayou. 1301 Franklin's 4,000 inmates left the Downtown area to take up residence north of downtown. So, while they counted as part of the downtown population in 2000, they were part of north downtown's population in 2010.

[s3mh]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7467082.html

Love elementary is officially on the chopping block.

[heights_yankee]

C&P:

Come learn about the proposed state cuts to public education and the direct impact to our public schools in Houston and the state. Local officials and school administrators will discuss how these severe cuts will make changes in your schools, including classrooms, this fall.

You will have an opportunity to voice your concerns and learn what can be done about it. You can be a part of the process.

When: Saturday April 9, 2011

Where: Lamar High School, 3325 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77098

Time: 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

For further information, please call Nancy Lomax 713/668-7075. Co-hosted by Parents for Public Schools --Houston, HISD Board of Education members and the HISD Council of PTAs.

[Ross]

Big meeting at Love tonight. Channel 13, Univision, and the Chron were there, along with a couple of hundred community members, parents, etc.

HISD staffers from central office were there

Samuel Sabaria, Chief Schools Officer

Mark Smith, Asst Soper Academic Services

One name I don't remember

Robert Chavarria, Principal of Love (a really good guy)

Anna Eastman, District I Trustee

The meeting opened with a presentation by Mark Smith showing the current attendance boundaries, the proposed boundaries sending Love kids to Sinclair or Field, som enumbers on demographics, attendance, and work done by Magellan. The floor wwas then opened to the public.

The main gist of the public comments, many of them very passionate, were:

The numbers presented by HISD with respect to demographics, etc seem suspect.

No one is impressed with the Magellan projections

Why close Love, when there are other smaller schools that don't perform as well, like Stevenson Elementary at T C Jester and Cornish

Lots of suspicion that the Love property is a sale candidate. One speaker mentioned seeing a document where a realtor was pid $3k for some kind of appraisal

Love is a good school, with parental involvement and growing area child population. Why close it

What other proposals were considered, if any

Do Sinclair and Field have room for 100+ kids each? (they apparently do, although I'm skeptical about Field)

Lots of kudos for the Principal and staff

Total savings for closing 4 schools is $1.7million, out of a $1.7 billion budget

Sarabia took some heat for having mentioned Harvard Elem as a potential place for some kids. That's not going to happen, as Harvard is full.

Complaints about lack of transparency from HISD. Anna Eastwood mentioned she has trouble getting all of her questions answered.

There's another meeting at Lamar on Saturday, Board meets next week.

Let's hope the HISD staff can come up with some answers.