TSPR Riviera Independent School District

Chapter 2
EDUCATION SERVICE DELIVERY

This chapter reviews Riviera Independent School District's (Riviera ISD) educational service delivery and performance in four key areas:

A. Student Performance and Instructional Program Delivery

B. Gifted and Talented Program

C. Compensatory Education

D. Career and Technology Education

E. Technology

F. Discipline Management and Safety

The effective delivery of educational services requires a school district make maximum use of its human and financial resources in educating its students. The delivery of these services is facilitated by the adoption of relevant, up-to-date board policy that provides direction for the management of the instructional process, the design and ongoing maintenance of appropriate curricular programs and the provision of resources adequate to support the programs implemented. The use of assessment data as a means of evaluating and monitoring programs is essential to a successful educational program delivery effort.
BACKGROUND
Riviera ISD has three schools: Nanny Elementary School, De La Paz Middle School and Kaufer High School. Enrollment for the district during the 1999-2000 school year was 552, a decline of 15 students over the 1998-99 enrollment. Exhibit 2-1 shows Riviera ISD's schools, enrollment and grades served.

Exhibit 2-1
Riviera ISD Schools by Grades and Enrollment
1999-2000

School Grades Served Enrollment Status

Nanny elementary school Pre-K - 5 grade 198 Acceptable

De La Paz middle school 6 - 8 grade 114 Acceptable

Kaufer high school 9 -12 grade 240 Recognized

Total 552

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA),Public Education Information Management System ( PEIMS).
During the 1998-99 school year, Riviera ISD employed 55 teachers, five administrators, four professional support employees, 9.5 educational aides and 22.7 auxiliary staff. The proportion of professional staff represented by both teachers and professional support as well as the proportion of central administration staff was higher in Riviera ISD than in the state as a whole. The proportion of educational aids in Riviera ISD was slightly lower than the state average (Exhibit 2-2).

Exhibit 2-2
Staff Information
Riviera ISD and State
1998-99

Staff Percent at
Riviera ISD Percent-Statewide
Average

Teachers 57.1% 51.4%

Professional Support 4.2% 7.2%

Campus Administration 3.1% 2.5%

Central Administration 2.1% 0.9%

Educational Aides 9.9% 10.3%

Auxiliary Staff 23.6% 27.7%

Source: 1998-99 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS).
The proportion of minority teachers and of teachers with more than 5 years of teaching experience was higher in Riviera ISD than the statewide average. But the proportion of teachers with advanced degrees is slightly lower than the statewide average. Teacher turnover rates at Riviera ISD are substantially lower than the state average.A teacher at Riviera ISD has an average of 12.6 years of teaching experience, higher than statewide average of 11.8 years (Exhibit 2-3).

Exhibit 2-3
Teacher Information
Riviera ISD and State
1998-99

Category Percent at Riviera ISD Percent Statewide Average

Ethnicity

African-American 0.0% 8.3%

Hispanic 43.7% 16.3%

White 54.5% 74.6%

Other 1.8% 0.9%

Degree Status

No Degree 0.0% 1.3%

Bachelors Degree Only 76.4% 73.6%

Masters Degree 23.6% 24.7%

Doctorate Degree 0.0% 0.4%

Experience

Beginning Teachers 1.8% 7.7%

1-5 Years Experience 16.4% 26.7%

6-10 Years Experience 27.3% 17.7%

11-20 Years Experience 30.9% 27.5%

20+ Years Experience 23.6% 20.5%

Average Years Experience of Teachers 12.6% 11.8%

Turnover Rate for Teachers 9.3% 15.5%

Source: 1998-99 AEIS.
For the 1998-99 school year, the average teacher's salary at Riviera ISD was $32,949, 4 percent lower than the statewide average of $34,336. Riviera ISD's salaries for teachers at all levels of experience were lower compared to teachers' salaries statewide (Exhibit 2-4).

Exhibit 2-4
Average Teachers Salaries
Riviera ISD and State
1998-99

Category Riviera State

Beginning Teachers $23,664 $25,586

1-5 Years Experience $24,979 $27,747

6-10 Years Experience $30,502 $31,470

11-20 Years Experience $36,775 $38,005

20+ Years Experience $37,006 $43,767

Average Teacher Salary $32,949 $34,336

Source: 1998-99 AEIS.
Riviera ISD selected four school districts as peer districts for comparative purposes. They are Benavides ISD, Skidmore-Tynan ISD, Three Rivers ISD and Woodsboro ISD. These districts have a number of characteristics common with Riviera ISD. All have an enrollment between 500 and 800 students, and each district has three schools except Three Rivers ISD, which has four. All of them have a high percentage of students classified as "economically disadvantaged."

Exhibit 2-5
Student Characteristics of Riviera ISD
and Peer Districts
1998-99

District Enrollment Five Year
Growth African
American Hispanic White Other Economically
Disadvantaged

Benavides 529 (16.7%) 0% 98.0% 2.0% 0% 77.3%

Riviera 567 (9.6%) 1.0% 63.0% 36.0% 0% 57.0%

Skidmore-Tynan 718 7.3% 1.0% 59.0% 40.0% 0% 60.3%

Three Rivers 778 (4.8%) 1.0% 46.0% 53.0% 1.0% 41.3%

Woodsboro 639 10.7% 3.0% 54.0% 43.0% 0% 48.2%

Region 110,688 (1.3%) 3.8% 64.9% 30.0% 1.3% 56.0%

State 3,945,367 9.4% 14.0% 39.0% 44.0% 3.0% 48.5%

Source: 1998-99 AEIS.
Among the peer districts, Three Rivers ISD has the highest property values per student. Riviera ISD ranks third among the peer districts with $207,483 in property value per pupil. This is $16,714 higher than the statewide average. Woodsboro ISD has the highest percentage of students passing the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Riviera ISD ranked third among the districts and lower than the statewide average (Exhibit 2-6).

Exhibit 2-6
Property Value per Pupil and
Percent of Students Passing TAAS
Riviera ISD and Peer Districts
1998-99

District 1997-98
Enrollment 1998-99
Property Value
Per Pupil Rank Percent of
Students Passing
TAAS Rank

Benavides 529 $241,413 2 61.9 5

Riviera 567 $207,483 3 74.7 3

Skidmore-Tynan 718 $97,260 5 68.4 4

Three Rivers 778 $513,819 1 78.9 2

Woodsboro 639 $124,211 4 87.5 1

Region 2 110,688 $156,595 77.1

State 3,945,367 $190,769 78.3

Source: 1998-99 AEIS.
Exhibit 2-7 shows the student teacher ratios for Rivera compared to its peer districts. Rivera has the lowest student-teacher ratio among its peers and is substantially lower when compared to the statewide and regional averages.

Exhibit 2-7
Student-to-Teacher Ratio
Riviera ISD and Peer Districts
1998-99

Entity Student-Teacher
Ratio

Benavides 12.6

Riviera 10.3

Skidmore-Tynan 13.7

Three Rivers 10.7

Woodsboro 10.8

Region 2 14.9

State 15.2

Source:1998-99 AEIS.
Student-to-teacher ratios at Riviera ISD's elementary, middle and high schools are shown in Exhibit 2-8.

Exhibit 2-8
Average Class Sizes at Riviera Elementary,
Middle and High Schools
1998-99

Riviera Campus Number of
Students Number of
Teachers Student-to-Teacher
Ratio

Nanny Elementary School 208 19.7 10.6

De La Paz Middle School 111 11.5 9.7

Kaufer High School 248 23.8 10.4

Total 567 55.0 10.3

Source: TEA, Accountability Profile, September 1999, Riviera ISD.
Based on the 1998-99 AEIS Report, the total operating instructional expenditures per student in Riviera ISD is the second highest among the peer districts and higher than the statewide average. The percentage of the district's instructional budget expended on regular education was the highest among the peers and higher than the statewide average. The percentage of total instructional expenditures at Riviera ISD for gifted and talented students was the second lowest among its peers and lower than the statewide average. The percentage of expenditures for special education students at Riviera ISD was the lowest, as shown in Exhibit 2-9. Compared to the peer districts, expenditures for Career Technology programs were the third-highest at Riviera ISD and second-lowest for bilingual/ESL and compensatory education.

Exhibit 2-9
Instructional Expenditures
Riviera ISD and Peer Districts
1998-99

District Expenditures
Per Student Regular
Education Gifted/
Talented Special
Education Career
Technology Bilingual/ ESL Compensatory
Education

Benavides $3,478 69.8% 0.1% 9.3% 7.3% 2.2% 11.3%

Riviera $4,126 80.5% 0.2% 6.4% 6.0% 0.2% 6.7%

Skidmore-Tynan $3,215 66.9% 2.2% 7.6% 5.9% 1.6% 15.8%

Three Rivers $4,283 77.9% 1.2% 7.8% 5.2% 1.4% 6.5%

Woodsboro $4,014 70.8% 0.3% 12.6% 7.9% 0.1% 8.3%

Region 2 $3,079 73.6% 1.6% 11.4% 4.1% 0.7% 8.7%

State $3,071 71.3% 1.6% 12.3% 4.0% 3.5% 7.3%

Source: 1998-99 AEIS.

School	Grades Served	Enrollment	Status
Nanny elementary school	Pre-K - 5 grade	198	Acceptable
De La Paz middle school	6 - 8 grade	114	Acceptable
Kaufer high school	9 -12 grade	240	Recognized
Total		552

Staff	Percent at Riviera ISD	Percent-Statewide Average
Teachers	57.1%	51.4%
Professional Support	4.2%	7.2%
Campus Administration	3.1%	2.5%
Central Administration	2.1%	0.9%
Educational Aides	9.9%	10.3%
Auxiliary Staff	23.6%	27.7%

Category	Percent at Riviera ISD	Percent Statewide Average
Ethnicity
African-American	0.0%	8.3%
Hispanic	43.7%	16.3%
White	54.5%	74.6%
Other	1.8%	0.9%
Degree Status
No Degree	0.0%	1.3%
Bachelors Degree Only	76.4%	73.6%
Masters Degree	23.6%	24.7%
Doctorate Degree	0.0%	0.4%
Experience
Beginning Teachers	1.8%	7.7%
1-5 Years Experience	16.4%	26.7%
6-10 Years Experience	27.3%	17.7%
11-20 Years Experience	30.9%	27.5%
20+ Years Experience	23.6%	20.5%
Average Years Experience of Teachers	12.6%	11.8%
Turnover Rate for Teachers	9.3%	15.5%

Category	Riviera	State
Beginning Teachers	$23,664	$25,586
1-5 Years Experience	$24,979	$27,747
6-10 Years Experience	$30,502	$31,470
11-20 Years Experience	$36,775	$38,005
20+ Years Experience	$37,006	$43,767
Average Teacher Salary	$32,949	$34,336

District	Enrollment	Five Year Growth	African American	Hispanic	White	Other	Economically Disadvantaged
Benavides	529	(16.7%)	0%	98.0%	2.0%	0%	77.3%
Riviera	567	(9.6%)	1.0%	63.0%	36.0%	0%	57.0%
Skidmore-Tynan	718	7.3%	1.0%	59.0%	40.0%	0%	60.3%
Three Rivers	778	(4.8%)	1.0%	46.0%	53.0%	1.0%	41.3%
Woodsboro	639	10.7%	3.0%	54.0%	43.0%	0%	48.2%
Region	110,688	(1.3%)	3.8%	64.9%	30.0%	1.3%	56.0%
State	3,945,367	9.4%	14.0%	39.0%	44.0%	3.0%	48.5%

District	1997-98 Enrollment	1998-99 Property Value Per Pupil	Rank	Percent of Students Passing TAAS	Rank
Benavides	529	$241,413	2	61.9	5
Riviera	567	$207,483	3	74.7	3
Skidmore-Tynan	718	$97,260	5	68.4	4
Three Rivers	778	$513,819	1	78.9	2
Woodsboro	639	$124,211	4	87.5	1
Region 2	110,688	$156,595		77.1
State	3,945,367	$190,769		78.3

Entity	Student-Teacher Ratio
Benavides	12.6
Riviera	10.3
Skidmore-Tynan	13.7
Three Rivers	10.7
Woodsboro	10.8
Region 2	14.9
State	15.2

Riviera Campus	Number of Students	Number of Teachers	Student-to-Teacher Ratio
Nanny Elementary School	208	19.7	10.6
De La Paz Middle School	111	11.5	9.7
Kaufer High School	248	23.8	10.4
Total	567	55.0	10.3

District	Expenditures Per Student	Regular Education	Gifted/ Talented	Special Education	Career Technology	Bilingual/ ESL	Compensatory Education
Benavides	$3,478	69.8%	0.1%	9.3%	7.3%	2.2%	11.3%
Riviera	$4,126	80.5%	0.2%	6.4%	6.0%	0.2%	6.7%
Skidmore-Tynan	$3,215	66.9%	2.2%	7.6%	5.9%	1.6%	15.8%
Three Rivers	$4,283	77.9%	1.2%	7.8%	5.2%	1.4%	6.5%
Woodsboro	$4,014	70.8%	0.3%	12.6%	7.9%	0.1%	8.3%
Region 2	$3,079	73.6%	1.6%	11.4%	4.1%	0.7%	8.7%
State	$3,071	71.3%	1.6%	12.3%	4.0%	3.5%	7.3%