ECTOR COUNTY, TX (KWES) - The Ector County Independent School District is moving forward with their student outcome goals. Last time, their accountability ratings showed the district as a whole improved but eight schools were on the improvement required list. However, Noel Elementary, Zavala Elementary and Ector Middle School received the Improvement Required (IR) rating for five years straight. It's a step the board is taking to put progress measures into place.
"I've never seen a board work this hard. They're committed to getting these three campuses off of IR, really, all eight of them," said Superintendent Tom Crowe.
Crowe said one of the ways the district is tackling IR campuses is giving extra help to teachers this year. This is so students can get the push to be up to the grade level they need to be.
"We've sent in instructional coaches from each campus, we've sent in from our curriculuum instruction department," said Crowe. "We've sent in specialists at every campus. Just to help because we've got a lot of first-year teachers, we've got long-term subs that need extra help so we're just trying to give them the help that they need."
The district has already talked to the principals at the three IR campuses to discuss their turn around plan. They've also had faculty members from other campuses work and learn from each other. But supporting teachers and community involvement is what the board said is the key to success.
"I want parents to know we're going to make it," said Crowe. "I want parents to know we need their help. We need the community's help, we need the businesses help, it takes an entire village and we all have to work together."