Saturday, March 14, 2009

Plano School Quality Slips

The top chart shows the results of the 2008 TAKS tests. They show 87% of Allen and 87 % of Frisco schools are ranked Exemplary or Recognized by the TEA, while 69% of Plano schools and 66% of McKinney schools are Exemplary or Recognized.

Plano trails both Allen and Frisco in the TEA measure of superior schools. Allen and Frisco ISDs are rated "Recognized" by the TEA. Plano is an "Acceptable" district.

Allen and Frisco have more good schools than Plano.


The second chart shows the percent of schools ranked "Academically Acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.

Allen has 5%, Frisco 11%, Plano 24%, and McKinney 34% schools ranked "Acceptable."

"Acceptable" is not good, it can mean the school is on the borderline of being "Unacceptable."

According to the TEA measurements, the Plano ISD is more like the McKinney ISD than like the Allen ISD or Frisco ISD.

There is a Plano Spirit. Plano is a great community. We are slipping in some ways, and our schools are definitely slipping, but we can fix that if we face the problems and make good choices.

Wasting money on WiFi wireless internet is a bad choice that not only wastes money that could be spent on teachers, but it wastes the time of the administration and everyone involved. The entire WiFi wireless boondoggle is a mistake because it diverts attention away from education and will drive school quality down even more. Here is a link to an article about the WiFi wireless network that PISD wants to beam into private homes. The PISD administration and board allow themselves to become distracted by non-essential adventures while they neglect their primary duty of educating the children. This misplaced focus of attention contributes to the decline of our schools.

The Board of Trustees and the Plano ISD Administration have taken their eyes off the ball and they are striking out.

If you value the education of our children, if you value the Plano community, if you care about your property values, then put new people on the Board.

You have a clear choice for Place 7: Vote for Canright.

Robert Canright

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