North Forest Independent School District
Encyclopedia
North Forest Independent School District is a school district
based in northeast Houston
, Texas
.
In 2009, the school district was rated "academically unacceptable
" by the Texas Education Agency
.
In 2011 the Texas Education Agency
ordered the closure of the district after the northern hemisphere spring 2012.
. Thursday March 20, 2003. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. It was also named the East and Mount Houston Independent School District.
The district originally had a low income rural White population. Schools were segregated until the late 1960s. After desegregation, many White families moved to other communities along U.S. Highway 59 such as Aldine, Humble
, and Porter
. NHISD was a mostly white district throughout the 1970s. The current NFISD was formed out of Northeast Houston ISD. After White families left, African-American families became the majority and gained political control of NFISD. Area residents stated that they were not annexed by the Houston Independent School District
because they wanted to maintain political control over their own schools.
In 1979 NFISD area residents discovered that a company had lied to them about a development; it claimed that houses were being developed on a site, when in reality a landfill was being placed there. The proposed landfill was about 1400 feet (426.7 m) from the NFISD administration building, an NFISD high school, the NFISD sports stadium, and an NFISD track field. At the time the NFISD high school did not have air conditioning. Seven NFISD schools were within a 2 miles (3.2 km) radius of the landfill. In 1979 the area residents sued the landfill company in federal court.
In 1985 the residents lost the suit in federal court. Due to the political efforts against the landfill, remedies were passed at the state and municipal levels.
In 1981 the NFISD Police Department was established.
As of October 12, 1989, NFISD was the largest school district in the State of Texas managed by African-Americans.
In 1991 voters approved an about $40 million NFISD bond.
In 1997 voters approved a bond in an election, leading to the construction of four schools. On March 1, 1998, the district issued $46.9 million worth of the approved bonds. The district used $5 million to refund older bonds at an interest rate that favored NFISD. The remaining funds were used to construct B. C. Elmore Middle School, East Houston Intermediate School (now Hilliard Elementary School), Keahey Intermediate School (now Marshall Early Childhood Center), and Shadydale Elementary School. In 1999 voters approved another about $40 million NFISD bond.
In June 2001 Tropical Storm Allison
hit Houston, damaging six NFISD schools. Forest Brook High School
sustained heavy damage after the storm; Forest Brook, Lakewood Elementary School, and the NFISD district administration building were closed due to storm damages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) said that it would pay 75% of the damage costs sustained as a result of Allison. FEMA planned to give NFISD $1.4 million as its first installment of payments in November 2001.
On March 18, 2003 it had a budget of $65 million during that year; about $50 million came from the state and the rest came from property taxes.
On July 20, 2007, some teenagers vandalized Forest Brook High School with a water hose. Students at Forest Brook began the 2007-2008 school year at nearby M. B. Smiley High School
. Forest Brook re-opened in the spring. After the vandalism of Forest Brook High School, North Forest ISD decided to merge Forest Brook's population into Smiley until Forest Brook is repaired. Some parents and observers criticized the decision, fearing territorial rivalries would cause tension between Forest Brook and Smiley students. School officials states that the repair would take at least four months .
In March 2008 North Forest ISD announced that it would consolidate its two high schools and close Tidwell Elementary School, merging it into Hilliard. Pupils formerly zoned to Tidwell started being a part of the Hilliard zone in August 2008.
said "The story has been the same for years in this small, poor, mostly black school district in northeast Houston: Financial problems, shoddy recordkeeping and low test scores prompt sanctions from the state.
Employees get indicted on criminal charges. The school board fires the superintendent. The district might improve some but then falls again." Joshua Benton of The Dallas Morning News
said "[i]n many ways, its schools are to Houston what the since-closed Wilmer-Hutchins schools
were to Dallas: the ones that were always in trouble." Because of the issues, many parents in the NFISD area enrolled their children in state charter schools
or moved out of the district area. John Sawyer, the head of the Harris County Department of Education, said in 2007 "The Wilmer-Hutchins school district had a history that sounded like a reflection of North Forest in many, many ways, and they were ultimately closed."
The district had the highest March 10, 1986 TECAT (Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers) failure rate of any large school district. 25% of the district's administrators and teachers did not pass. In 1988 the TEA assigned a monitor to NFISD to deal with the school board and the finances; Ericka Mellon of the Houston Chronicle
said that the school board was "meddling." On October 12, 1989, the Houston Chronicle
printed an article, "North Forest district shows off its `other' side in tour," about the district trying to create a positive impression in the media.
In a 2006 article Todd Spivak of the Houston Chronicle
, described NFISD as "a prime example of how inconsistency can wreak havoc on schools." In the five years before 2006 NFISD had four superintendents. In the years leading to 2006 the Texas Education Agency
had indicated financial and governance problems at NFISD. Dr. Robert Sanborn, the president and CEO of the organization Children at Risk, analyzed North Forest ISD during that year. He describes the state of affairs as "inexcusable" as the district managed two high schools at the time; both posted state test scores considered to be poor and SAT scores considered to be the lowest in the Houston area. During the same year Dan Feldstein of the Houston Chronicle
said "By many measures, North Forest, which would serve the subdivision, is a troubled district. Not only is it last in Harris County in SAT scores and passing rates on the TAKS test, but it ranks among the worst in the state." In late 2006 the TEA assigned two teachers to monitor two NFISD campuses that were rated "unacceptable" by the TEA.
Around 2007, the school district's average SAT
scores for its high school students, 748 of 1600, was among the lowest in the state. Eight of the district's 11 schools received the TEA rating "unacceptable." Patty Pinkley, a teacher of "technology applications," did not receive any working computers until March in the school year.
A February 2007 report by the Texas Education Agency, based on data from 2005, said that Forest Brook High School had no cheating, mainly based on the testimony of school officials, who said that cheating did not occur. A statistical analysis of the Forest Brook scores by The Dallas Morning News in June 2007 which examined two years of scores from Forest Brook declared that over 250 answer sheets of the TAKS had answer patterns that the DMN considered to be suspicious. In Spring 2007 state monitors supervised TAKS tests at Forest Brook. The passing rate for the 11th grade mathematics test decreased from 80% in 2006 to 44% in 2007. The 11th grade science scores decreased from 89% to 39%. The social studies test scores decreased from 100% to 72%; historically social studies is the easiest TAKS test. In light of the DMN findings, the TEA said that it stood by its report.
On March 9, 2007, the board voted 4-3 to terminate Dr. James Simpson, the superintendent. In May, the state ordered the district to reinstate Simpson, citing that Simpson was denied due process
.
In November 2007 the Texas Education Agency appointed an academic overseer to monitor NFISD; the TEA had sent a financial overseer in March 2007.
On January 23, 2008 the trustees voted to rehire Simpson.
On January 28, 2008 the Houston Chronicle
stated that Walter Davis, an independent auditor, told NFISD trustees that the district is nearing bankruptcy.
On January 31, 2008 the Houston Chronicle stated that Texas Education Agency
officials investigated the district, checking to see if the district violated laws by using construction funds for general purposes.
On February 4, 2008 Tobie B. Ross, Jr., a trustee, requested to change his "Yes" vote for re-instating Simpson to a "No." The Texas Education Agency denied the district's decision to reinstate Simpson.
On March 20, 2008 the Northeast Education First community group asked for the state to fire the school board. Governor of Texas
Rick Perry
did not remove the NFISD school board. On March 26 the district stated that it would lay off 90 teachers to try to reduce its budget crisis.
The Texas Education Agency
stated that the district would have a $17 million United States dollar
debt by August 2008. The agency put the district on probation in June 2008.
Outside monitors stated that NFISD had poor management and "security violations" related to TAKS testing.
On July 31, 2008, Wayne Dolcefino
of ABC 13 KTRK, a primary news station, based in Houston, reported on an investigation he had conducted regarding North Forest ISD, for possible finance and election malfeasance and misconduct committed by officials of NFISD leadership. Dolcefino investigated for several months prior to the release of his facts and findings. This investigation could lead to possible criminal indictments, in the future. Also, misconduct concerns from parents of NFISD enrolled children and investigating government officials may lead to petitions for new leadership. Special Education Director, Dr. Ruth Watson, has been removed from her position and given a new one within the district. The move in job position was reported as lateral, in which Dr. Ruth Watson maintained her current salary, despite not being Director of Special Education. Dr. Watson
approved and forwarded more than five special federal government grants which were received, for her own family members. These grants are meant for the most seriously disabled special children. It was also exposed that one of the Special Education specialists, in question, had a child with Vice President of the Board of Education for NFISD, Allen Provost. When Dolcefino asked Provost if the board member ignored election laws, Provost shoved a business card in Dolcefino's shirt pocket, while telling the reporter(Dolcefino) to contact Provost's lawyer. The TEA dismissed the NFISD school board on July 31, 2008.
On Wednesday October 15, 2008 the state approved the removal of the board. The board members decided to appeal to federal courts.
In a three year period until 2011, NFISD was consistently ranked "academically unacceptable" by the Texas Education Agency
.
(TEA) announced not to order the immediate closure of North Forest High School
. The TEA also announced that North Forest High School
and North Forest ISD would received an "Academically Unacceptable" rating and the district assigned a "Non-Accredited-Revoked" accreditation for the school year 2011-2012 and to close the district effectively by July 1, 2012. The school district said that it was going to try to oppose the closure order. The state said that the Houston Independent School District
(HISD) would absorb the NFISD territory. Paula Harris, president of the HISD board, said that HISD did not advocate for the outcome, but that it would be willing to accommodate the students. The NFISD closing date is July 1, 2012. Some media reports stated that NFISD was a "historically black" school district, and some said that it would be the largest such district in the state to be closed. Kimberly Reeves of the Houston Press
said that if the criterion for "historically black" was that the district was predominately African-American in the segregation era and that it remained predominately African-American since desegregation
, then NFISD would not be "historically black."
Sheila Jackson Lee
, a local congressperson, expressed an opposition to closing the district. Paul Bettencourt, the Harris County tax assessor, said that a handover to HISD would be beneficial for the NFISD students. George McShan, who served as the head of the TEA-appointed committee overlooking NFISD before the current board returned to power, stated that he is not surprised that the TEA is trying to close the district. Harold Dutton, a state representative, said that the TEA did not do enough to save the district, while Debbie Ratcliffe, the spokesperson of the TEA, said that the TEA could not get NFISD to make sufficient progress.
An editorial in the Houston Chronicle
argued that the district ought to be shut down, and that parents in the NFISD region should try to enroll their children in HISD schools, as HISD allows children living in neighboring districts to attend HISD schools tuition free. The editorial stated that once HISD absorbs the NFISD territory, it ought to begin offering school bus services between the NFISD area and the current HISD territory.
The district began the 2011-2012 school year, while the possibility of annexation was present. In November 2011 Robert Scott, the TEA commissioner, announced that he was officially closing the district and revoking accreditation. The United States Department of Justice
still has to approve the closure. The USDOJ has approved similar closures in Texas. Jackson Lee said that she would continue to advocate against the closure. Ivory Mayhorn, the head of a group campaigning for the salvation of the district, accused the TEA of discriminating against North Forest.
. The NFISD area is about 20 miles (32.2 km) from Downtown Houston
, and south of George Bush Intercontinental Airport
. Jan Jarboe, who wrote for Texas Monthly
stated in 1986 that the district "clings to isolation" despite its proximity to Downtown. Helen Wheatley, who served as the Houston Federation for Teachers staff representative for NFISD, said in 1986 that while the community was an "urban area," the NFISD zone "has a country feeling to it." North Forest ISD covers about 33 square mile.
North Forest ISD covers small parts of northeast Houston (including the neighborhoods of East Houston, Northwood Manor, Dorchester Place, Royal Glen, Fontaine, Scenic Woods, Melbourne Place, Kentshire, Henry Place, Baker Place, Glenwood Forest, Royal Oak Terrace, Houston Suburban Heights, Warwick Place, Chatwood Place, Townly Place, Wayside Village , and Settegast) and parts of unincorporated Harris County
, including Dyersdale
.
NFISD is the poorest district in Harris County. During a period NFISD made $1,711 per student in property taxes. Despite having a higher tax rate than Deer Park Independent School District
, that district made $7,021 per student in property taxes. As of 2003 the NFISD attendance zone had very little industry.
In 2006 the area within NFISD had the lowest property value per student ratio in Harris County
. Its property value per student ratio was less than half of the average ratio in the State of Texas. Within the district, in 2006 the typical single family house was appraised to be worth $51,106. 42 of the 15,637 houses within the NFISD boundaries had an appraised value greater than $200,000.
In 2007, of the school districts in urban areas in Texas NFISD had the highest concentration of ex-prison inmates.
In 1980 80% of the students were African American. In 1989 the student body consisted of mainly urban working class people. It was overwhelmingly African American.
In 1996 the enrollment at NFISD began to decline. The student body steadily declined; it had 13,132 students in the 1993-1994 school year, while it had 11,699 in the 2001-2002 school year. This was an 11% decline over a nine year period. During the 2001-2002 school year, Both NFISD high schools had 2,837 students, while the capacities of the schools combined was 5,875, giving a classroom usage percentage of 48%. On March 18, 2003 the district had 11,217 students, fewer than the expected 11,650. From 1997 to 2007 the district student population decreased by 35%, to below 9,000 students.
. Facilities within the district's supervision include one early childhood center, five elementary schools, two middle schools, one ninth grade center, one charter school, and one high school.
PreK-K
, located at the Forest Brook campus.
The previous district headquarters sustained damages in Tropical Storm Allison
in 2001. The previous district headquarters had opened in 1964. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
stated that the 12000 square foot facility was destroyed as a result of the flood. Langstead Elementary, which had been constructed in 1968, was used as a temporary administration building.
In 2002 the district had no plans on where its headquarters may be. By 2003 NFISD planned to establish its new headquarters. The district considered a 250 acres (101.2 ha) plot of land across from North Forest High School
's main campus (formerly M. B. Smiley High School
) as a location for a new headquarters. Around 2003 the board approved construction of a new administration buiilding. In October 2007 its headquarters were at 6010 Little York while its Office of Communications was located at Langstead.
The Jones-Cowart Stadium serves as the district's stadium for sporting events. It is located on the property of the former Smiley High School, now North Forest High School
.
The district has a fleet of fifty school buses. The fleet makes 111 runs daily, and serves about 3,300 students. Since the transportation department also has maintenance and service vehicles, it has a total of 162 vehicles in its fleet.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
based in northeast Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
In 2009, the school district was rated "academically unacceptable
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
" by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
.
In 2011 the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
ordered the closure of the district after the northern hemisphere spring 2012.
History
The district was originally named Northeast Houston Independent School District. The district originated as a single school in Harris County.Martin, Betty L. "North Forest strives to move ahead / Beleaguered school district battles decline in student enrollment and financial strain." Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. Thursday March 20, 2003. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. It was also named the East and Mount Houston Independent School District.
The district originally had a low income rural White population. Schools were segregated until the late 1960s. After desegregation, many White families moved to other communities along U.S. Highway 59 such as Aldine, Humble
Humble, Texas
Humble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
, and Porter
Porter, Texas
Porter is an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Texas within the metropolitan area. In 2010, its population estimated 25,627. Schools in Porter are operated by the New Caney Independent School District.-Government and infrastructure:...
. NHISD was a mostly white district throughout the 1970s. The current NFISD was formed out of Northeast Houston ISD. After White families left, African-American families became the majority and gained political control of NFISD. Area residents stated that they were not annexed by the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
because they wanted to maintain political control over their own schools.
In 1979 NFISD area residents discovered that a company had lied to them about a development; it claimed that houses were being developed on a site, when in reality a landfill was being placed there. The proposed landfill was about 1400 feet (426.7 m) from the NFISD administration building, an NFISD high school, the NFISD sports stadium, and an NFISD track field. At the time the NFISD high school did not have air conditioning. Seven NFISD schools were within a 2 miles (3.2 km) radius of the landfill. In 1979 the area residents sued the landfill company in federal court.
In 1985 the residents lost the suit in federal court. Due to the political efforts against the landfill, remedies were passed at the state and municipal levels.
In 1981 the NFISD Police Department was established.
As of October 12, 1989, NFISD was the largest school district in the State of Texas managed by African-Americans.
In 1991 voters approved an about $40 million NFISD bond.
In 1997 voters approved a bond in an election, leading to the construction of four schools. On March 1, 1998, the district issued $46.9 million worth of the approved bonds. The district used $5 million to refund older bonds at an interest rate that favored NFISD. The remaining funds were used to construct B. C. Elmore Middle School, East Houston Intermediate School (now Hilliard Elementary School), Keahey Intermediate School (now Marshall Early Childhood Center), and Shadydale Elementary School. In 1999 voters approved another about $40 million NFISD bond.
In June 2001 Tropical Storm Allison
Tropical Storm Allison
Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The first storm of the season, Allison lasted an unusually long period of time for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days...
hit Houston, damaging six NFISD schools. Forest Brook High School
Forest Brook High School
Forest Brook High School was a high school located at 7525 Tidwell Road in Houston, Texas, United States. Serving grades 9 through 12, Forest Brook was a part of the North Forest Independent School District....
sustained heavy damage after the storm; Forest Brook, Lakewood Elementary School, and the NFISD district administration building were closed due to storm damages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) said that it would pay 75% of the damage costs sustained as a result of Allison. FEMA planned to give NFISD $1.4 million as its first installment of payments in November 2001.
On March 18, 2003 it had a budget of $65 million during that year; about $50 million came from the state and the rest came from property taxes.
On July 20, 2007, some teenagers vandalized Forest Brook High School with a water hose. Students at Forest Brook began the 2007-2008 school year at nearby M. B. Smiley High School
M. B. Smiley High School
M.B. Smiley High School was a public secondary school in Houston, Texas, United States. Smiley, which served grades 9 through 12, and was a part of the North Forest Independent School District. M.B. Smiley was featured in the film Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story, which aired on...
. Forest Brook re-opened in the spring. After the vandalism of Forest Brook High School, North Forest ISD decided to merge Forest Brook's population into Smiley until Forest Brook is repaired. Some parents and observers criticized the decision, fearing territorial rivalries would cause tension between Forest Brook and Smiley students. School officials states that the repair would take at least four months .
In March 2008 North Forest ISD announced that it would consolidate its two high schools and close Tidwell Elementary School, merging it into Hilliard. Pupils formerly zoned to Tidwell started being a part of the Hilliard zone in August 2008.
History of academic and management troubles
Since the late 1980s, and by 2011, the district has experienced reoccurring financial and academic problems. Ericka Mellon of the Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
said "The story has been the same for years in this small, poor, mostly black school district in northeast Houston: Financial problems, shoddy recordkeeping and low test scores prompt sanctions from the state.
Employees get indicted on criminal charges. The school board fires the superintendent. The district might improve some but then falls again." Joshua Benton of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said "[i]n many ways, its schools are to Houston what the since-closed Wilmer-Hutchins schools
Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District
Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District was a school district in southern Dallas County, Texas serving the cities of Wilmer and Hutchins, a portion of Dallas , and a small portion of Lancaster. The district served urban, suburban, and rural areas...
were to Dallas: the ones that were always in trouble." Because of the issues, many parents in the NFISD area enrolled their children in state charter schools
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
or moved out of the district area. John Sawyer, the head of the Harris County Department of Education, said in 2007 "The Wilmer-Hutchins school district had a history that sounded like a reflection of North Forest in many, many ways, and they were ultimately closed."
The district had the highest March 10, 1986 TECAT (Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers) failure rate of any large school district. 25% of the district's administrators and teachers did not pass. In 1988 the TEA assigned a monitor to NFISD to deal with the school board and the finances; Ericka Mellon of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
said that the school board was "meddling." On October 12, 1989, the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
printed an article, "North Forest district shows off its `other' side in tour," about the district trying to create a positive impression in the media.
In a 2006 article Todd Spivak of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, described NFISD as "a prime example of how inconsistency can wreak havoc on schools." In the five years before 2006 NFISD had four superintendents. In the years leading to 2006 the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
had indicated financial and governance problems at NFISD. Dr. Robert Sanborn, the president and CEO of the organization Children at Risk, analyzed North Forest ISD during that year. He describes the state of affairs as "inexcusable" as the district managed two high schools at the time; both posted state test scores considered to be poor and SAT scores considered to be the lowest in the Houston area. During the same year Dan Feldstein of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
said "By many measures, North Forest, which would serve the subdivision, is a troubled district. Not only is it last in Harris County in SAT scores and passing rates on the TAKS test, but it ranks among the worst in the state." In late 2006 the TEA assigned two teachers to monitor two NFISD campuses that were rated "unacceptable" by the TEA.
Around 2007, the school district's average SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
scores for its high school students, 748 of 1600, was among the lowest in the state. Eight of the district's 11 schools received the TEA rating "unacceptable." Patty Pinkley, a teacher of "technology applications," did not receive any working computers until March in the school year.
A February 2007 report by the Texas Education Agency, based on data from 2005, said that Forest Brook High School had no cheating, mainly based on the testimony of school officials, who said that cheating did not occur. A statistical analysis of the Forest Brook scores by The Dallas Morning News in June 2007 which examined two years of scores from Forest Brook declared that over 250 answer sheets of the TAKS had answer patterns that the DMN considered to be suspicious. In Spring 2007 state monitors supervised TAKS tests at Forest Brook. The passing rate for the 11th grade mathematics test decreased from 80% in 2006 to 44% in 2007. The 11th grade science scores decreased from 89% to 39%. The social studies test scores decreased from 100% to 72%; historically social studies is the easiest TAKS test. In light of the DMN findings, the TEA said that it stood by its report.
On March 9, 2007, the board voted 4-3 to terminate Dr. James Simpson, the superintendent. In May, the state ordered the district to reinstate Simpson, citing that Simpson was denied due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
.
In November 2007 the Texas Education Agency appointed an academic overseer to monitor NFISD; the TEA had sent a financial overseer in March 2007.
On January 23, 2008 the trustees voted to rehire Simpson.
On January 28, 2008 the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
stated that Walter Davis, an independent auditor, told NFISD trustees that the district is nearing bankruptcy.
On January 31, 2008 the Houston Chronicle stated that Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
officials investigated the district, checking to see if the district violated laws by using construction funds for general purposes.
On February 4, 2008 Tobie B. Ross, Jr., a trustee, requested to change his "Yes" vote for re-instating Simpson to a "No." The Texas Education Agency denied the district's decision to reinstate Simpson.
On March 20, 2008 the Northeast Education First community group asked for the state to fire the school board. Governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
did not remove the NFISD school board. On March 26 the district stated that it would lay off 90 teachers to try to reduce its budget crisis.
The Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
stated that the district would have a $17 million United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
debt by August 2008. The agency put the district on probation in June 2008.
Outside monitors stated that NFISD had poor management and "security violations" related to TAKS testing.
On July 31, 2008, Wayne Dolcefino
Wayne Dolcefino
Wayne Dolcefino is an Emmy Award-winning news reporter for KTRK-TV ABC-13 in Houston, Texas, USA. As the investigative reporter for "13 Undercover," he is responsible for a number of civic and consumer investigations....
of ABC 13 KTRK, a primary news station, based in Houston, reported on an investigation he had conducted regarding North Forest ISD, for possible finance and election malfeasance and misconduct committed by officials of NFISD leadership. Dolcefino investigated for several months prior to the release of his facts and findings. This investigation could lead to possible criminal indictments, in the future. Also, misconduct concerns from parents of NFISD enrolled children and investigating government officials may lead to petitions for new leadership. Special Education Director, Dr. Ruth Watson, has been removed from her position and given a new one within the district. The move in job position was reported as lateral, in which Dr. Ruth Watson maintained her current salary, despite not being Director of Special Education. Dr. Watson
approved and forwarded more than five special federal government grants which were received, for her own family members. These grants are meant for the most seriously disabled special children. It was also exposed that one of the Special Education specialists, in question, had a child with Vice President of the Board of Education for NFISD, Allen Provost. When Dolcefino asked Provost if the board member ignored election laws, Provost shoved a business card in Dolcefino's shirt pocket, while telling the reporter(Dolcefino) to contact Provost's lawyer. The TEA dismissed the NFISD school board on July 31, 2008.
On Wednesday October 15, 2008 the state approved the removal of the board. The board members decided to appeal to federal courts.
In a three year period until 2011, NFISD was consistently ranked "academically unacceptable" by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
.
Proposed shutdown
On Friday, July 8, 2011 the Texas Education AgencyTexas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
(TEA) announced not to order the immediate closure of North Forest High School
North Forest High School
North Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
. The TEA also announced that North Forest High School
North Forest High School
North Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
and North Forest ISD would received an "Academically Unacceptable" rating and the district assigned a "Non-Accredited-Revoked" accreditation for the school year 2011-2012 and to close the district effectively by July 1, 2012. The school district said that it was going to try to oppose the closure order. The state said that the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
(HISD) would absorb the NFISD territory. Paula Harris, president of the HISD board, said that HISD did not advocate for the outcome, but that it would be willing to accommodate the students. The NFISD closing date is July 1, 2012. Some media reports stated that NFISD was a "historically black" school district, and some said that it would be the largest such district in the state to be closed. Kimberly Reeves of the Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
said that if the criterion for "historically black" was that the district was predominately African-American in the segregation era and that it remained predominately African-American since desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
, then NFISD would not be "historically black."
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
, a local congressperson, expressed an opposition to closing the district. Paul Bettencourt, the Harris County tax assessor, said that a handover to HISD would be beneficial for the NFISD students. George McShan, who served as the head of the TEA-appointed committee overlooking NFISD before the current board returned to power, stated that he is not surprised that the TEA is trying to close the district. Harold Dutton, a state representative, said that the TEA did not do enough to save the district, while Debbie Ratcliffe, the spokesperson of the TEA, said that the TEA could not get NFISD to make sufficient progress.
An editorial in the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
argued that the district ought to be shut down, and that parents in the NFISD region should try to enroll their children in HISD schools, as HISD allows children living in neighboring districts to attend HISD schools tuition free. The editorial stated that once HISD absorbs the NFISD territory, it ought to begin offering school bus services between the NFISD area and the current HISD territory.
The district began the 2011-2012 school year, while the possibility of annexation was present. In November 2011 Robert Scott, the TEA commissioner, announced that he was officially closing the district and revoking accreditation. The United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
still has to approve the closure. The USDOJ has approved similar closures in Texas. Jackson Lee said that she would continue to advocate against the closure. Ivory Mayhorn, the head of a group campaigning for the salvation of the district, accused the TEA of discriminating against North Forest.
Catchment area
NFISD covers 33 square mile of land in northeast Harris CountyHarris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. The NFISD area is about 20 miles (32.2 km) from Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, and south of George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
. Jan Jarboe, who wrote for Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
stated in 1986 that the district "clings to isolation" despite its proximity to Downtown. Helen Wheatley, who served as the Houston Federation for Teachers staff representative for NFISD, said in 1986 that while the community was an "urban area," the NFISD zone "has a country feeling to it." North Forest ISD covers about 33 square mile.
North Forest ISD covers small parts of northeast Houston (including the neighborhoods of East Houston, Northwood Manor, Dorchester Place, Royal Glen, Fontaine, Scenic Woods, Melbourne Place, Kentshire, Henry Place, Baker Place, Glenwood Forest, Royal Oak Terrace, Houston Suburban Heights, Warwick Place, Chatwood Place, Townly Place, Wayside Village , and Settegast) and parts of unincorporated Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, including Dyersdale
Dyersdale, Texas
Dyersdale is an unincorporated area in Harris County, Texas, United States.The name originates from Clement C. Dyer, one of the "Old Three Hundred" of Stephen F. Austin's colonists....
.
NFISD is the poorest district in Harris County. During a period NFISD made $1,711 per student in property taxes. Despite having a higher tax rate than Deer Park Independent School District
Deer Park Independent School District
Deer Park Independent School District is a public school district in Deer Park, Texas , but also includes parts of neighboring Pasadena. Its total enrollment is approximately 11,700 students....
, that district made $7,021 per student in property taxes. As of 2003 the NFISD attendance zone had very little industry.
In 2006 the area within NFISD had the lowest property value per student ratio in Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. Its property value per student ratio was less than half of the average ratio in the State of Texas. Within the district, in 2006 the typical single family house was appraised to be worth $51,106. 42 of the 15,637 houses within the NFISD boundaries had an appraised value greater than $200,000.
In 2007, of the school districts in urban areas in Texas NFISD had the highest concentration of ex-prison inmates.
Student body
As of 2010, NFISD had 7,410 students. 68.6% of the students were Black, 30.8% of the students were Hispanic, .5% were White, and .1% were Asian or Pacific Islander. 100% were classified as economically disadvantaged. At that time the district had over 1,050 employees.In 1980 80% of the students were African American. In 1989 the student body consisted of mainly urban working class people. It was overwhelmingly African American.
In 1996 the enrollment at NFISD began to decline. The student body steadily declined; it had 13,132 students in the 1993-1994 school year, while it had 11,699 in the 2001-2002 school year. This was an 11% decline over a nine year period. During the 2001-2002 school year, Both NFISD high schools had 2,837 students, while the capacities of the schools combined was 5,875, giving a classroom usage percentage of 48%. On March 18, 2003 the district had 11,217 students, fewer than the expected 11,650. From 1997 to 2007 the district student population decreased by 35%, to below 9,000 students.
Schools
NFISD operates nine schools in northeast Harris CountyHarris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. Facilities within the district's supervision include one early childhood center, five elementary schools, two middle schools, one ninth grade center, one charter school, and one high school.
High schools
AAAA- North Forest High SchoolNorth Forest High SchoolNorth Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
Middle schools
- B. C. Elmore Middle School - Built in 2000
- The original 29 classroom building was built in 1957 for $513,113.00. It was named B. C. Elmore High School, after Bennie Carl Elmore, a school principal. In 1972, after Forest Brook High SchoolForest Brook High SchoolForest Brook High School was a high school located at 7525 Tidwell Road in Houston, Texas, United States. Serving grades 9 through 12, Forest Brook was a part of the North Forest Independent School District....
opened, Elmore became a middle school. The district demolished the original building in 1999. The current 40 classroom, 130000 square foot facility, which had a multi-million dollar cost, replaced the original Elmore.
- The original 29 classroom building was built in 1957 for $513,113.00. It was named B. C. Elmore High School, after Bennie Carl Elmore, a school principal. In 1972, after Forest Brook High School
- Forest Brook Middle School - Building built in 1972
Elementary schools
K-5- Fonwood Elementary School - Built in 1964
- A. G. Hilliard Elementary School - built in 2000
- Original Hilliard was built in 1963
- Lakewood Elementary School - Built in 1962
- W. E. Rogers Elementary School - Built in 1964
- Shadydale Elementary School - Built in 2000
PreK-K
- Thurgood Marshall Early Childhood Center - Built in 2000
- Original Marshall Elementary School built in 1956
State charter eligibility
In addition to the district-operated schools listed here, area residents may also apply to YES Prep Schools's North Forest campus; only NFISD residents may apply to the school.Former high schools
After Spring 2008 two high schools combined into North Forest High SchoolNorth Forest High School
North Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
, located at the Forest Brook campus.
- Forest Brook High SchoolForest Brook High SchoolForest Brook High School was a high school located at 7525 Tidwell Road in Houston, Texas, United States. Serving grades 9 through 12, Forest Brook was a part of the North Forest Independent School District....
(School built in 1972, opened on August 2, 1972) - Campus now used for Forest Brook Middle School. - B. C. Elmore High School - Opened in 1957 as a high school. The 29 classroom facility had a cost of $513,113. It was named after Bennie Carl Elmore, who served as the school principal until 1969. After Forest Brook opened in 1972, Elmore became a middle school.
- M. B. Smiley High SchoolM. B. Smiley High SchoolM.B. Smiley High School was a public secondary school in Houston, Texas, United States. Smiley, which served grades 9 through 12, and was a part of the North Forest Independent School District. M.B. Smiley was featured in the film Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story, which aired on...
- School built in 1953, Now used as the main campus for North Forest HS. - W.G. Smiley Career & Technology School
Former K-8 schools
- Settegast High School - Opened 1951 to serve black students. It housed about 300 students - Grades 1-8
Former middle schools
- R. E. Kirby Middle School - School built in 1964
- Around 2003 the NFISD school board approved building a new Kirby Middle School.
- Northwood Middle School - School built in 1960, closed due to declining enrollment, used for storage in 2003 - During that year the 18.59 acres (7.5 ha) property had a valuation of $7,637,830
- Oak Village Middle School - School built in 1967 Now used as 9th grade center for North Forest High SchoolNorth Forest High SchoolNorth Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
Former primary schools
- East Houston Elementary School (site after renovation became East Houston Intermediate School; the campus now houses Hilliard Elementary School)
- Tidwell Elementary School (school built in 1962, closed after spring 2008)
- In 2007 students from Tidwell were relocated to Hilliard Elementary School
- Langstead Elementary School (built in 1968 ; closed due damage from Tropical Storm AllisonTropical Storm AllisonTropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The first storm of the season, Allison lasted an unusually long period of time for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days...
; later used as a temporary administration building)- The building was a converted church, which was valued at $180,000 1973 dollars. It served grades K-3, had space for 350 students, and used an "open concept" design.
Former intermediate schools
- East Houston Intermediate School (built in 2000, the campus is now the site of Hilliard Elementary School)
- Keahey Intermediate School (built in 2000, the campus is now the site of Marshall Early Childhood Center)
Former alternative schools
- Learning Academy (age 8-12th grade)
- At one time, it was located on the B.C. Elmore Campus.
Headquarters and other facilities
Its current headquarters is at 6010 Little York Road.The previous district headquarters sustained damages in Tropical Storm Allison
Tropical Storm Allison
Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The first storm of the season, Allison lasted an unusually long period of time for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days...
in 2001. The previous district headquarters had opened in 1964. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is an executive branch position created by the Texas Constitution. As with nearly every other executive branch head, the Comptroller is popularly elected every four years concurrently with the Governor and the other elected executive branch positions...
stated that the 12000 square foot facility was destroyed as a result of the flood. Langstead Elementary, which had been constructed in 1968, was used as a temporary administration building.
In 2002 the district had no plans on where its headquarters may be. By 2003 NFISD planned to establish its new headquarters. The district considered a 250 acres (101.2 ha) plot of land across from North Forest High School
North Forest High School
North Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
's main campus (formerly M. B. Smiley High School
M. B. Smiley High School
M.B. Smiley High School was a public secondary school in Houston, Texas, United States. Smiley, which served grades 9 through 12, and was a part of the North Forest Independent School District. M.B. Smiley was featured in the film Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story, which aired on...
) as a location for a new headquarters. Around 2003 the board approved construction of a new administration buiilding. In October 2007 its headquarters were at 6010 Little York while its Office of Communications was located at Langstead.
The Jones-Cowart Stadium serves as the district's stadium for sporting events. It is located on the property of the former Smiley High School, now North Forest High School
North Forest High School
North Forest High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the North Forest Independent School District. It consists of a main campus and a ninth grade center...
.
Transportation
The school district provides transportation to any elementary, middle, or high school student living over 2 miles (3.2 km) from his or her assigned school. The district may add 0.1 mile (0.160934 km) to establish a reasonable boundary. It also provides transportation for AM and PM kindergarten students when the time is about 12 Noon. If students face hazards (such as construction areas and multilane highways), preventing safe travel to the assigned schools, the Department of Transportation will decide to allow bus travel for those students.The district has a fleet of fifty school buses. The fleet makes 111 runs daily, and serves about 3,300 students. Since the transportation department also has maintenance and service vehicles, it has a total of 162 vehicles in its fleet.
External links
- North Forest ISD
- North Forest ISD (Archive, 2005-2008)
- North Forest ISD (Archive, 2003-2006)
- Education Foundation for North Forest ISD
- Mellon, Ericka. "State awaiting word on North Forest takeover bid." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. October 6, 2008. - Connelly, Richard. "School Board Gets The Boot In North Forest ISD." Houston PressHouston PressThe Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
. Thursday July 31, 2008. - "STATEMENT OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE REGARDING THE CLOSING OF NORTH FOREST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT." Sheila Jackson LeeSheila Jackson LeeSheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. (Print) - "Supporters vow to continue fight to save North Forest ISD." KTRK-TVKTRK-TVKTRK-TV, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Houston, Texas...
. Monday November 14, 2011. - "U.S. Rep. Jackson Lee Fights For North Forest Independent School District." KRIV-TV. Monday November 14, 2011.
- "Attorneys Fight To Keep North Forest ISD Open ." MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. November 14, 2011. - http://dig.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/ktrk_071211_nfisdletter.pdf
- http://media.houstonisd.org/communications/Longtail/images/TEA_NORTHFOREST.pdf or http://dig.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/TEANorthForestLetter.pdf