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Chapter 2
EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DELIVERY

This chapter discusses the Water Valley Independent School District's (WVISD's) educational service delivery system and student performance measures in four sections:

A. Curriculum, Instructional Resources and Student Performance
B. Special Programs
C. Alternative Education Programs and Dropout Prevention
D. Safety and Security

Effective educational service delivery requires appropriate instructional guidance, capable teachers, adequate resources and a thorough understanding of students' instructional needs. Well-designed and implemented instructional programs are essential to meet the needs of all students in WVISD. Instructional leadership from WVISD's central office and at schools is directly responsible for these programs' effectiveness.

BACKGROUND

WVISD selected four Texas school districts to serve as peer districts for comparison purposes: Bronte, Eden, North Zulch and Veribest, all located in the same general geographic area except North Zulch, which is located in east central Texas. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provided information on the state-mandated student achievement test scores, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) and other student performance measures, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

Exhibit 2-1 presents demographic information for WVISD, the selected peer districts, Regional Education Service Center XV (Region 15) and the state.

Exhibit 2-1
Demographic Characteristics of WVISD
And Peer School Districts
2000-01
  Student Enrollment Ethnic Groups Economically Disadvantaged
District Number 5 Year
Percent Change		 Percent
African
American		 Percent
Hispanic		 Percent
Anglo		 Percent
Other		 Percent Minority Percent 5 Year
Percent Change*
Bronte 514 25.4% 15.2% 25.7% 58.7% 0.4% 41.2% 60.1% 85.5%
North Zulch 344 6.2% 0.3% 2.9% 96.2% 0.6% 3.8% 37.2% (10.8%)
Eden 336 (16.8%) 0.6% 42.6% 56.8% 0.0% 43.2% 55.1% 7.6%
Water Valley 315 (21.3%) 0.6% 18.4% 79.4% 1.6% 20.6% 38.7% (2.8%)
Veribest 272 54.5% 0.7% 36.0% 61.4% 1.8% 38.6% 30.5% (25.4%)
Region 15 50,696 (3.8%) 3.6% 47.9% 47.8% 0.7% 52.2% 53.5% 5.1%
State 4,071,433 6.3% 14.4% 40.5% 42.1% 3.0% 57.9% 49.2% 2.3%
Source: TEA, PEIMS 2000-01.

Demographic, staffing and financial data for each school district and school are reported in TEA's Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports. These reports are sent to each school and district and are available on TEA's Internet web site, www.tea.state.tx.us. The latest AEIS data, published by TEA in November 2000 is for 1999-2000. Some data is available for 2000-01 from Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) reports submitted in Fall 2000. This information will be used whenever possible when compatible with 1999-2000 data (primarily student performance) that are not yet available from 2000-01. Care will be taken when interpreting differences among peer districts and state averages when there are few students, particularly within categories such as economically disadvantaged.

For 2000-01, WVISD's enrollment was 315. WVISD enrollment was steady from 1996 through 1998. Beginning in 1998-99, however, WVISD began to lose students at about 30 students per year. Primarily because Grape Creek ISD stopped sending high school students to WVISD, the district has a higher percentage of Anglo students (79.4 percent) than all its peer districts except North Zulch ISD.

At 38.7 percent, WVISD has the third lowest percentage of economically disadvantaged students among its four peer districts. Between 1995-96 and 1999-2000, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in the state has increased by about two percent. During the same time, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in WVISD decreased by about three percent.

As shown in Exhibit 2-2, WVISD ranks third among its peer districts in instructional expenditures per student at $4,645 per student. WVISD is about average compared to the peer districts and is slightly higher than the state average in the percentage of its expenditures for regular instruction, 66.0 percent. WVISD is similar in the percentage directed to the various programs with the exception of Bronte ISD.

Exhibit 2-2
Actual Instructional Expenditures in WVISD and Peer Districts
2000-01
District Total
Expenditures		 Instruct. Expend
Per Student*		 Percent
Regular		 Percent
Bil/ESL		 Percent
Career & Tech.		 Percent
Compensatory		 Percent
Gifted & Talented		 Percent
Special Educ.
Eden $3,508,258 $5,260 58.9% 0.6% 7.4% 15.3% 1.4% 12.4%
Veribest $2,084,013 $4,669 71.5% 0.0% 5.5% 6.3% 0.3% 15.3%
Water Valley $3,249,351 $4,645 66.0% 0.0% 5.6% 6.9% 2.3% 14.8%
North Zulch $2,795,978 $4,235 68.4% 0.0% 7.5% 7.7% 0.5% 11.6%
Bronte $4,348,311 $3,941 37.5% 0.9% 7.0% 23.6% 3.0% 21.4%
State $31,639,852,010 $3,738 61.5% 3.7% 4.0% 11.7% 1.7% 15.2%
Source: TEA, PEIMS 2000-01.
* Includes instruction and instructional leadership expenditures.

As seen in Exhibit 2-3, WVISD reported the second highest percentage of students identified as special education students when compared to its peer districts. Enrollment in bilingual/ESL is significantly lower than the 12.5 percent of students enrolled in bilingual/ESL statewide. WVISD ranks second in the percentage of students enrolled in career and technology education programs. WVISD reports the lowest percentage of students in gifted and talented education as compared to any of its peer districts, Region 15 or the state.

Exhibit 2-3
Student Enrollment by Program
1999-2000
District Percent
Bilingual/ ESL		 Percent
Career &
Technology		 Percent
Gifted &
Talented		 Percent
Special
Education
Veribest 4.3% 30.7% 6.5% 21.6%
Water Valley 0.3% 35.7% 4.9% 17.3%
Eden 4.6% 41.9% 8.4% 12.7%
Bronte 0.8% 23.5% 7.8% 14.0%
North Zulch 0.0% 23.2% 8.8% 10.7%
Region 15 7.3% 22.8% 7.5% 14.0%
State 12.5% 18.6% 8.4% 12.1%
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports, 1999-2000.

Exhibit 2-4 shows the percentage of professional staff in various categories among its peer districts. WVISD has the highest percentage of teachers among its' peer districts but ranks next to last in the percentage of minority teachers employed. WVISD reports the second highest percentage of auxiliary staff compared to its peer districts. From the 2000 Fall PEIMS submission, WVISD reports no instructional aides. The percentage of teachers remains at approximately the same level in 2000-01 with about 62 percent of staff reported as teachers. Data for 1999-2000 is included in the table for peer comparison purposes.

Even though there is a superintendent in WVISD, there was zero percent central administration staff and zero percent educational aides reported in the 1999-2000 AEIS reports. AEIS also states that 4.5 percent of expenditures, or $130,418 were designated for the central office. The 2000 PEIMS report includes a salary for the superintendent who is listed at an approximate full-time equivalent of 0.7. The superintendent is aware of this error and said the cause needs to be found and corrected.

Exhibit 2-4
Professional Staff
WVISD and Peer Districts
1999-2000
Professional Staff Water Valley North Zulch Veribest Eden Bronte Region 15 State Avg.
Teachers 64.1% 58.8% 55.2% 52.1% 51.6% 51.0% 51.3%
Professional Support 3.5% 1.9% 4.2% 5.1% 2.6% 5.9% 7.3%
Campus Administration 3.5% 1.9% 2.8% 3.3% 2.6% 2.6% 2.6%
Central Administration 0.0% 3.7% 2.1% 1.5% 1.3% 0.9% 0.9%
Educational Aides 0.0% 9.3% 10.4% 8.7% 17.4% 11.5% 10.3%
Auxiliary Staff 28.9% 24.5% 25.2% 29.4% 24.5% 28.1% 27.6%
Percent Minority Teachers 2.7% 3.2% 7.6% 8.4% 0.0% 16.3% 26.1%
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports 1999-2000.

Exhibit 2-5 shows teacher experience and turnover rates for WVISD and its peer districts. WVISD has the second lowest percentage of teachers with more than 20 years of teaching experience. WVISD, along with Eden ISD, reports no beginning teachers. WVISD has the second lowest rate of teacher turnover at 10.3 percent.

Exhibit 2-5
Teacher Experience and Turnover Rate
WVISD and Peer Districts
1999-2000
  Veribest North Zulch Water Valley Bronte Eden Region 15 State Average
Beginning Teachers 40.2% 15.8% 0.0% 5.1% 0.0% 6.9% 7.6%
1-5 Years Experience 19.1% 24.1% 34.7% 26.6% 22.4% 22.6% 27.0%
6-10 Years Experience 3.8% 12.7% 24.5% 22.8% 19.6% 17.7% 17.9%
11-20 Years Experience 25.4% 31.6% 27.2% 30.4% 32.0% 28.9% 26.2%
Over 20 Years Experience 11.5% 15.8% 13.6% 15.2% 26.0% 23.9% 21.2%
Average Years Experience 7.5 11.2 10.5 10.5 14.0 12.8 11.9
Average Years Experience with the district 3.3 6.1 5.9 6.3 10.1 8.6 8.0
Turnover 15.5% 20.0% 10.3% 11.6% 9.4% 13.6% 15.0%
Beginning Teacher Salary $30,764 $25,544 $28,549 $24,815 $27,039 $24,334 $25,588
Average Teacher Salary 6-10 years $33,205 $35,813 $39,964 $31,330 $40,080 $32,498 $34,632
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports, 1999-2000.

As Exhibit 2-6 shows, with the exception of Eden ISD, WVISD has the lowest percentage, 10.7, of teachers with a Masters degree. This is also lower than both the state and Region 15 averages.

Exhibit 2-6
Teacher Degrees
WVISD and Peer Districts
1999-2000
  Eden Water Valley Bronte North Zulch Veribest Region 15 State Avg.
No Degree 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.6% 1.2%
Bachelor 93.5% 86.4% 84.8% 84.2% 78.4% 81.3% 74.1%
Masters 6.5% 13.6% 15.2% 15.8% 21.6 17.0% 24.3%
Doctorate 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.5%
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports 1999-2000.

District Teaching Permits are activated by the local school district and approved by the Commissioner of Education for a degreed person who is uniquely qualified to teach a particular assignment and does not hold any type of teaching credential. A district can activate a Temporary Exemption Permit for a certified, degreed teacher who is not certified for a particular classroom assignment. This exemption cannot be renewed. WVISD reports no teachers with special permits.

Under the state's school accountability system, TEA assigns annual ratings to each district and school based upon (1) TAAS, (2) attendance, (3) dropout rates and (4) data quality. In 1999, TEA added two new rating categories: Unacceptable: Data Quality, a district level rating, and Acceptable: Data Issues, a school level rating.The accountability system includes five ratings for districts: Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, Academically Unacceptable and Unacceptable: Data Quality. To receive an Exemplary rating, at least 90 percent of all students, as well as 90 percent of African American, Hispanic, Anglo and Economically Disadvantaged students must pass the TAAS reading, writing and mathematics tests.

To achieve a Recognized rating, 80 percent of all students and each student group must pass the same TAAS reading, writing and mathematics tests. In 2000, to be rated Academically Acceptable, 50 percent of each student group must pass TAAS. Beginning in 2000, scores for students with disabilities, and from the TAAS Spanish version of reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 6, were included in the accountability calculations. Although the state accountability system also considers attendance and dropout rates, TAAS is the key-determining factor in ratings. According to TEA, failure to meet TAAS standards is the primary reason that a school is rated Low-performing.

Exhibit 2-7 compares WVISD's accountability ratings to its peer districts over the past five years.

Exhibit 2-7
Accountability Ratings
WVISD and Peer Districts
1995-96 through 1999-2000
  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Veribest Recognized Recognized Exemplary Recognized Recognized
Bronte Recognized Recognized Recognized Recognized Acceptable
Eden Acceptable Recognized Acceptable Acceptable Recognized
Water Valley Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Recognized
North Zulch Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable
Source: TEA Accountability Reports 1995-96 through 1999-2000.

WVISD elementary and high school were rated as Recognized in 2000. Fairview Accelerated, a shared alternative education arrangement with other districts, was rated as Acceptable under the alternative accountability system. The Texas School Directory also lists six schools that serve students with special education needs. These schools are part of a cooperative of 18 school districts, The Small Schools Cooperative, that serves students with special needs in various neighboring districts. These schools are not individually rated because TAAS scores from students that attend these special campuses are sent back to each home district.

In 2001-02, the elementary principal will become principal for the entire district and move from the elementary school to the high school, which are located next to each other.

As seen in Exhibit 2-8, WVISD has a very low dropout rate as detailed in the 2000 AEIS reports. WVISD peer districts report a zero annual dropout rate.

Exhibit 2-8
Annual Dropout and Attendance Rate
WVISD and Peer Districts
1999-2000
  Bronte Eden Veribest North Zulch Water Valley Region 15 State Avg.
Dropout Rate 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% 1.5% 1.6%
Attendance Rate 97.3% 96.0% 97.2% 96.3% 96.3% 95.8% 95.4%
Mobility Rate 68.5% 22.7% 27.5% 22.8% 26.1% N/A 22.0%
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports 1999-2000.

Two of its peer districts report a higher attendance rate than WVISD. Attendance is a significant factor in the amount of funding received by a district. WVISD has a lower mobility rate than any of its peer districts and the state average. A student is considered mobile if he or she has been in membership at the school for less than 83% of the school year (i.e., has missed six or more weeks at a particular school. Bronte ISD reports a very high mobility rate and has reported an annual rate in excess of 35 percent since 1997.