Photo: Joe Rodriguez, Goose Creek CISD superintendent, (center) spoke to the Kiwanis Club of Baytown about his district, highlighting many of its successes and concerns over low ratings at some elementary campuses. Pictured are, Nancy Bonds, spokeswoman for Goose Creek CISD; Rodriguez; and Marissa Moreno, Kiwanis Club of Baytown president.
Goose Creek CISD Superintendent Joe Rodriguez told the Kiwanis Club of Baytown Thursday that Ashbel Smith Elementary’s F rating — along with D or F grades at other campuses — could lead to state intervention and the removal of the superintendent and school board.
Rodriguez explained that state rules allow intervention after five consecutive unacceptable ratings, putting campuses at risk if scores do not improve. Ashbel Smith currently has three, with an F in the latest ratings after a D the previous year and F’s before that. Carver, De Zavala and Highlands elementaries each have a count of 2.
Under state rules, three D’s count as one F, with each D after that counting as another F. A C or better this year would reset the count and reduce the risk of intervention.
Among elementary campuses, Ashbel Smith dropped from 68 to 59. Banuelos Elementary climbed from 75 to 84. James Bowie Elementary improved 10 points, from 65 to 75, while Victoria Walker Elementary went from 74 to 80. Clark Elementary fell from 87 to 72. Several other campuses received D’s or posted modest C’s.
While discussing both the highs and lows of the district, the superintendent made a bold statement.
“I don’t have two years to improve. I have one year,” Rodriguez said, underscoring the urgency.
Despite concerns at some campuses, Rodriguez pointed to several areas where the district has made progress. The district’s overall grade rose from 78 to 80. It earned 22 distinctions and seven of its campuses improved by a full letter grade. The high schools continue to post the district’s strongest results.
Rodriguez said the district is placing greater emphasis on phonics in the early grades to improve results at campuses under pressure. It is also offering up to $15,000 in incentives to third- through fifth-grade teachers at Ashbel Smith and Carver.
To improve campus performance and reach stated goals, central office administrators are participating in a pilot program that includes mentoring, acting as reading buddies and tutoring. Rodriguez added that the district has made recent hires to reshape classroom instruction.
When asked about the role of homework and whether more work could be completed during the school day, Rodriguez said homework is only one small part of the equation.
He said most academic growth comes from “Tier 1” instruction, making sure the lesson is taught well the first time.
“That’s where you get the biggest bang for your buck,” he said.
The district uses the Bluebonnet curriculum, but Rodriguez said the quality of the teacher remains more important than the program itself.
Goose Creek CISD serves about 22,500 students and employs about 3,800 people. Enrollment has dropped by about 650 students from last year. Rodriguez attributed this decline to a number of factors including to lower birth rates, as well as school choice and the state’s new voucher program.
The superintendent is overhauling the district’s culture and part of that change is proposing to reduce the districts five previous goals to three broad priorities: academic excellence, safe and secure schools and financial stewardship. He wants to do this to keep the district focused on the work ahead.
Academic goals include earning an A rating by the 2029-30 school year, improving College, Career and Military Readiness and getting more prekindergarten students on track in phonemic awareness, all aimed at raising district performance.
Students can earn associate degrees or core-complete college hours through IMPACT Early College High School and Stuart Career Technical High School. They can also earn industry certifications through career academies in areas such as culinary arts, automotive, health science, STEM, information technology, welding and pipefitting and future educators.
Safety goals include 100% compliance with Standard Response Protocol drills, addressing every finding from state Intruder Detection Audits, improving the appearance and function of district buildings from “curb to classroom” and reducing violent offenses and major behavior incidents to strengthen campus security.
The board has approved a Guardian program that allows trained staff members to carry concealed weapons, as well as retired law-enforcement officers serving in visible roles. When asked how many staff members will be armed, he declined to answer saying that was confidential.
Law-enforcement officers who visit a campus and walk the halls also can receive a free meal through the “Meals for Shields” program.
Financial goals include maintaining a balanced budget, receiving clean audits each year, keeping an Aaa bond rating, matching capital spending with facility needs and giving the community greater access to budget information to preserve stability. He would like the district to evaluate district-owned land that could either be sold or held for future use.
The current tax rate of $1.07 per $100 valuation is the lowest it has been since 2013. Rodriguez said rising property values do not automatically mean more revenue for the district because the state often reduces its share.
The superintendent also touted his plan for a District Ambassador Program, parent and student advisory committees, open enrollment as well as improving every campus rating over the previous year.
Kiwanian Harvey Oyler asked whether community members could get involved in mentoring students.
“That is the ultimate goal,” Rodriguez said. The staff pilot will come first, with volunteers to follow. Rodriguez said even a simple word of encouragement can make a difference. Telling a student they are doing a great job, he said, can mean a lot to a child who might not hear those words at home.