Archive for April, 2010
Principals at low-performing schools eligible for five-figure bonuses next year
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Principals at low-performing schools eligible for five-figure bonuses next year
Thu Apr 29 21:22:00 2010 CST
By Lynn Walsh
Some principals at Houston ISD schools could see $30,000 bonuses next year.
HISD Board of Trustees adopted a new performance-based pay model for principals at low-performing high schools and middle schools in the district. The new bonus program could cost the district $320,000 in the 2010-11 school year.
Principals at six Houston ISD high schools and five middle schools are eligible for the cash pay-out at the end of the year.
The schools affected are considered “priority” schools by the district, and the incentives should “encourage bold leaders to step up and increase student achievement,” Superintendent Terry Grier said.
District officials plan to fund the bonuses through a combination of federal Title I grant money and a local bonus program called ASPIRE.
Principals will receive the money if they reach goals such as decreasing dropout rates, increasing student enrollment, increasing math proficiency and increasing teacher performance.
Trustee Manuel Rodriguez said the first step is to make sure principals know what is expected of them.
Is Terry Grier afraid of video cameras? Cameras ‘counterproductive’ to HISD superintendent’s media roundtable
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Is Terry Grier afraid of video cameras? Cameras ‘counterproductive’ to HISD superintendent’s media roundtable
Wed Apr 28 14:49:00 2010 CST
By Lynn Walsh
Houston ISD plans to clamp down on a no-cameras rule for a monthly journalists’ meeting with HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, a district spokesman said.
Grier has a Q/A session lasting up to two hours with local media once a month. The media roundtables provide great access for reporters, but if the medium of news delivery is video, relaying what Grier says to the public is a little more complicated.
Reporters from the major local news agencies are invited, and the entire discussion with Grier is on the record. The one stipulation: no video cameras allowed.
HISD Spokesman Norm Uhl let the no-camera rule slide at the April meeting, but in an e-mail sent today to reporters said:
“Please, no video cameras during the roundtable this time. I let that slide last time because the meeting was so late in the day and the TV folks were up against deadline. You can certainly bring a photog and do interviews after the meeting.”
Why does Grier ban video cameras in his press availability?
“That is counterproductive to what we are trying to do,” Uhl said, because cameras hamper dialogue.
“We want to get back to what it has always been, an open and honest conversation,” Uhl said. “It works better for reporters because they can get more information and ideas for future stories. Sometimes Grier will mention topics he is not ready to go on camera about.”
Contact Lynn Walsh at 713-228-2850 or lynn@texaswatchdog.org.
Click here to see the TRENT TV Webinar On Databases: How To Get Them, Read Them, Use Them
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Click here to see the TRENT TV Webinar On Databases: How To Get Them, Read Them, Use Them
Tue Apr 27 14:51:55 2010 CST
By Lynn Walsh
Want to get your hands on a government employee salary database? Maybe you want to see which companies in your city are being awarded government contracts? Or how your schools are shaping up in connection with test scores — or even health violations!
That information — and much more — is a public record. But how do you get it? What does it all mean? And what do you do once you have it?
Texas Watchdog has the answers to those questions and much more in the most recent episode of Trent TV: Databases and Spreadsheets-Getting it, reading it and using it.
Still have questions? Are you hitting a roadblock? Texas Watchdog is here for you; contact us anytime online or over the phone.
Contact us at 713-980-9777 or email us at trent@texaswatchdog.org
Trent TV is a free monthly training webinar for journalists, activists, citizen journalists and bloggers.
Trent TV is back: Tune in today to Texas Watchdog to learn all you wanted to know about obtaining government databases and using them effectively
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Trent TV is back: Tune in today to Texas Watchdog to learn all you wanted to know about obtaining government databases and using them effectively
Tue Apr 27 11:39:00 2010 CST
By Trent SeibertTune in today at 11:30 Central time to Trent TV, a monthly journalism webinar led by the staff of Texas Watchdog.
The topic this month is all about databases: finding them, getting them, using them.
Tune in at www.newmediatv.org. And, it’s interactive, so you can twitter us questions or submit them vis New Media TV.
See you then!
Any questions? Email Lynn Walsh at lynn@texaswatchdog.org
Why hasn’t state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer answered questions about HillCo Partners? The head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus promised weeks ago to answer questions about its relationship with powerful lobbying outfit.
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Why hasn’t state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer answered questions about HillCo Partners? The head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus promised weeks ago to answer questions about its relationship with powerful lobbying outfit.
Mon Apr 26 19:23:00 2010 CST
By Steve MillerIt’s been almost a month since state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, promised to answer questions regarding the Texas Watchdog story on the relationship between lobbying giant HillCo Partners, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, which Martinez Fischer chairs, and the caucus’ foundation.
We followed up his March 31 vow the next day with an e-mail to his chief of staff, Martin Golando, copied to his communications person, Christina Gomez.
“Hi Martin
We’re pleased to have an agreement to discuss the HillCo/MALC relationship.
Let me know what your convenience is and let’s get our schedules together.
Best
Steve”Included was a link to the story.
We left a voicemail message on Martinez Fischer’s Austin office phone the next day, letting the representative know of the e-mail, then waited.
Finally, we would get to the bottom of this possible breach of state ethics rules, the one that prohibits donations in a period which begins 30 days prior to a regular legislative session and ends 20 days afterward.
Our story found that HillCo had given thousands of dollars for rent to MALC during that period in 2009, although HillCo contends the exchange was lawful. Last week, the Houston group Texans for Ethics and Accountability filed a complaint against HillCo and MALC with the Texas Ethics Commission.
But we got no response from Martinez Fischer, Golando or Gomez, even after speaking with Golando at his Austin office.
Golando, who as chief of staff would be in charge of Martinez Fischer’s team, deflects questions by saying the request has been sent to underlings.
“I read your story,” Golando says in the clip below. “I sent (the interview request) to scheduling, and I sent it to the communications director.”
We left a message for Gomez at MALC a few minutes after ending our chat with Golando.
We are still waiting to hear back.
Texas Watchdog’s Blog Chat: See our discussion about overcrowded Harris County jails and controversy at Houston Metro
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Texas Watchdog’s Blog Chat: See our discussion about overcrowded Harris County jails and controversy at Houston Metro
Mon Apr 19 19:07:00 2010 CST
By Lynn WalshOvercrowded jails in Harris County are causing a stir within the Houston blogging community and Metro is once again in the hot seat, and this time the federal government is getting involved.
These stories and more are featured in Monday’s Blog Chat. For all the details and to view the video discussion click the links below:
Texas Watchdog: Texas Watchdog team brings home Society of Professional Journalists Fort Worth Chapter award for online journalism
Grits for Breakfast: Harris jail crowding forces stop to arresting traffic violators
Off the Kuff: Solving the jail overcrowding is everybody’s responsibility
Houston Strategies: What to do if Metro fraud costs us $900 million Fed $
Houston Chronicle: Metro, city officials deny effort to mislead FTA
Texas Tribune: 2010: Perry 48, White 44
Rasmussen Poll: Election 2010 Texas Governor*
Star Telegram: Organizations pay big bucks to land Palin at fundraisers
Baker Institute Blog: Former JSC Director George Abbey on Obama’s NASA Speech
Houston Chronicle: Project will dredge up some history
Texas Tribune Event: A conversation with Deirdre Delisi, Chair of the Texas Transportation Commission
See an interesting story? Great video? Send it our way! @texaswatchdog on Twitter.
*The margin of error for the Rasmussen poll discussed today in Blog Chat is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Houston ISD officials to speak on “education crisis” during “Houston Have Your Say” airing on PBS Tuesday night
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Houston ISD officials to speak on “education crisis” during “Houston Have Your Say” airing on PBS Tuesday night
Mon Apr 19 18:46:00 2010 CST
By Lynn WalshA discussion of the public education system in Houston is scheduled to air Tuesday night.
Houston’s public broadcasting channel will be hosting a live discussion on the show Houston Have Your Say: Education Crisis at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Scheduled guests include former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Houston ISD Chief Human Resource Officer Ann Best, HISD Trustee Paula Harris and state Reps. Rob Eissler and Scott Hochberg.
Have an opinion about the education system here in Houston? During the show you can e-mail to haveyoursay@houstonpbs.org or call in to 713-743-8513.
You can watch the discussion live on PBS, Channel 8.
Blog Chat with Texas Watchdog, 1 p.m. CST. Join us at www.texaswatchdog.org
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Blog Chat with Texas Watchdog, 1 p.m. CST. Join us at www.texaswatchdog.org.
Mon Apr 19 11:47:48 2010 CST
By Lynn WalshWhat’s buzzworthy in the blogosphere this morning? Need something to tweet about? Join Texas Watchdog’s Lynn Walsh and Jennifer Peebles Monday afternoon for a new episode of Blog Chat, 1 p.m. at www.texaswatchdog.org.
Have you seen a news item, video or opinion column we should highlight? E-mail lynn@texaswatchdog.org or message her on Twitter (@lwalsh).
State Sen. Mario Gallegos slams Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier in letter to trustees, criticizing Grier’s focus on testing, management style, ‘scapegoating’ of teachers
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
State Sen. Mario Gallegos slams Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier in letter to trustees, criticizing Grier’s focus on testing, management style, ‘scapegoating’ of teachers
Fri Apr 16 17:01:42 2010 CST
By Lynn WalshTexas State Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr. has a message to Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier: “I intend to administer a test of my own.”
Gallegos said this in a letter dated April 8 where he discusses Grier’s management style, the amount of time Grier has spent in previous positions at districts across the country and the process through which Grier was hired at HISD.
“He has fired or forced the resignation of numerous department heads at HISD, replacing them with persons who have little or no experience in big city affairs or school districts. … He has all but ignored numerous calls from parents, community leaders, and members of the religious community to rethink changing so many things at once in lieu of unintended consequences certain decisions may yield.”
Gallegos’ letter continues:
“In my opinion, Dr. Grier has not demonstrated his ability to change the dropout rate. He has the rhetoric, he doesn’t have the results. Dr. Grier’s tenure here in Houston should not be about ‘reform’ forreform’s sake, scapegoating teachers, centralizing all functions into his corner office or forgetting commitments made to our community in past bond elections. But rather should be about implementing changes that stand to serve the betterment of our children, our school district and our community in the long run.”
In a phone conversation with Gallegos Friday, the Houston Democrat said he became concerned in August as the search team narrowed its focus to Grier.
“The search team at HISD didn’t do their homework,” Gallegos said. “Grier has created turmoil everywhere he goes, and then runs off.”
HISD Spokesman Norm Uhl said Grier declined to comment on the letter, but has read it.
Houston ISD trustees shut the public out of the hiring process for the superintendent, naming one finalist after others had been interviewed behind closed doors. Texas law permits such secrecy.
The Houston Chronicle reported:
Texas law gives school boards the option of naming one or multiple finalists when hiring a superintendent. HISD traditionally has released only one name, though the school board in 1991 allowed the public to meet a few finalists.
Business leaders had asked for a public and open process, during which candidates could be vetted by the whole community. But last year’s trustees, most of whom are still on the board, declined. Trustees Anna Eastman and MikeLunceford were elected late last year, after Grier had already been hired.
Grier took over as HISD superintendent in September, after heading the San Diego Unified Schools for 18 months. Grier replaced Abelardo Saavedra, who retired Aug. 31.
Gallegos said he has not met or spoken with Grier personally, but has done research on him.
“I didn’t go to sleep, take a pill and dream this stuff up,” Gallegos said. “His background is an open book. It doesn’t take a 4th grader to google him. But don’t take my word for it, google him and find out for yourself.”
Some of the information Gallegos found while searching Grier’s background on the Internet include a Houston Chronicle article from last year, and older articles from the Greensboro News and Record and Akron Beacon Journal (which are no longer archived on those newspaper’s Web sites). Gallegos cited the articles in his letter.
Gallegos sent the letter to the Greater Houston Partnership directors, Houston members of the leadership development group American Leadership Forum, members of the Houston legislative delegation and Houston ISD trustees.
Contact Lynn Walsh at 713-228-2850 or lynn@texaswatchdog.org. Follow school news on Twitter! Follow @texaswatchdog and search #hisd.
Blog Chat with Texas Watchdog Airing Live at 1 p.m. Monday: Join us at www.texaswatchdog.org
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under What's New
A story written for Texas Watchdog:
Blog Chat with Texas Watchdog Airing Live at 1 p.m. Monday: Join us at www.texaswatchdog.org.
Fri Apr 16 12:05:28 2010 CST
By Lynn WalshWant to know what’s getting bloggers in Texas all fired up? Or maybe you just want to know what to “tweet” about? Join us Monday afternoon for a new episode of Blog Chat. Texas Watchdog will be chatting about news and opinion in the blogosphere. Please join us for Blog Chat at 1 p.m. at www.texaswatchdog.org.
Have you seen a news item, video or opinion column we should highlight? E-mail lynn@texaswatchdog.org or message her on Twitter (@lwalsh).
