RISD Board members heard a report about this year's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results for the district and schools at the August 20th board study session.

Click here to read about AYP results and other board activity in the August 21 edition of Board Brief.

Letter to parents from Dr. Waggoner:

Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, a Title I, Part A-funded local education agency (LEA), or school district, that has not met AYP for two or more consecutive years in the same indicator (reading, mathematics, attendance rate, or graduation rate) is subject to LEA-level Title I School Improvement Requirements. Based on the 2012 LEA AYP Status released August 8, 2012, Richardson ISD is subject to the LEA-level School Improvement Program (SIP) requirements for Stage 2 during the 2012-2013 school year.

The NCLB statute requires the district to notify you of this status and to provide you with the following information. Please be advised that the district has the opportunity to appeal this district improvement designation. However, the requirements described in this letter must be implemented for the entire school year, regardless of the outcome of the appeal.

If an LEA that is receiving Title I, Part A funds does not meet AYP for two consecutive years for the same indicator that LEA is subject to certain SIP requirements. For additional information about the AYP definition please visit TEA's website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/.

Within three months after being identified for improvement, an LEA must develop or revise its district improvement plan in consultation with parents, school staff, and others. The district improvement plan must meet certain requirements, one of which is implementing strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the district. To view additional district improvement plan requirements, please visit this link: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147484929&menu_id=798. If you do not have access to the internet, please call the contact person listed at the end of this letter and this information will be provided to you.

The district will be implementing the following activities to address the reasons the district has been identified for district improvement: Strategies grounded in scientifically based research that will strengthen instruction in core academic subjects with emphasis on math and reading; intensive and sustained staff professional development to include Response to Intervention, differentiated instruction, and best practices in the classroom; strategies to promote effective parental involvement; and provide student learning activities before school, after school, and during the summer as needed.

You may become involved in addressing the reasons the district is identified for improvement by assisting in the following ways: Participate in parent involvement activities, join the district/campus improvement planning committees, and volunteer in the district.

If you have questions concerning this letter, would like to volunteer to help revise our district plan, or need us to provide you with paper copies of the material referenced in the web sites, please contact Joyce Wilson at 469-593-0280 or joyce.wilson@risd.org.

Click here for a copy of the letter in Spanish. >Top

The district has received a partial ruling in the ongoing desegregation litigation following the evidentiary hearing that occurred in June. Federal District Judge Reed O'Connor has ruled that RISD has complied in good faith with the original order of 1970. Judge O'Connor further ruled that RISD has attained unitary status in the areas of faculty and staff recruiting and hiring, and student assignment at the junior high and high school level.

In addition, the Court ruled that the Department of Justice did not carry its burden of proof to establish that RISD had engaged in unlawful actions toward students with respect to student discipline or in the quality of education for all students.

Unitary status is a desegregation-era legal term that means a school district operates using a single system for all students, rather than operating dual, racially-based systems which were common in many school districts in the 1960s.

Judge O'Connor deferred his ruling in other areas pending submission of additional evidence or response from RISD. Those areas include student assignment at the elementary level, and faculty and staff assignment.

Judge O'Connor ruled last year that RISD has attained unitary status in the areas of facilities, transportation, extra-curricular activities and special education.

RISD plans to submit a proposal to the court concerning submission of additional evidence and briefing related to the areas listed above on which the court has not issued a final ruling. >Top

In an effort to be proactive and to prevent possible exposure to mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus, RISD's Environmental Studies Center (ESC) will be closed to class visits until November 1st. Traditionally, all students in grades K-5 visit RISD's outdoor learning center at least once a year. During visits to the site, students walk through a system of trails that lead them through 12 acres of native trees, shrubs and grasses. The ESC also includes two water systems, Spring Creek and a man-made pond allowing students to compare the systems and the organisms that live in each.

Richardson health officials are urging citizens to take precautions — wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants; using insect repellent containing DEET; and avoiding outdoor activity at dusk and dawn when the disease-carrying mosquitoes are most active. Since mosquitoes hide in trees and bushes and lay their eggs in water sources, delaying visits to the Environmental Studies Center until after peak mosquito season is a precaution in the best interest of RISD students and staff. >Top

More than 300 RISD students have earned the distinction of being named 2012 AP (Advanced Placement) Scholars. The AP Program offers several AP Scholar Awards to recognize high school students who have demonstrated college-level achievement through AP courses and exams. This achievement is acknowledged on any AP score report that is sent to colleges.

Award Levels

AP Scholar
Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. RISD had 314 students achieve this level in 2012.

AP Scholar with Honor
Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. RISD had 88 students achieve this level in 2012.

AP Scholar with Distinction
Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. RISD had 169 students achieve this level in 2012.

National AP Scholar
Granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. RISD had 35 students achieve this distinction in 2012.

Congratulations to all RISD students earning the designation of 2012 AP Scholars. >Top

Students and parents in grades 9-12 are encouraged to attend the RISD College Fair on Saturday, September 15 at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Colleges and Universities from around Texas and the U.S. will be in attendance with information and to answer questions.

For more information, please see the attached flyer. >Top

Destination Imagination's 2012-13 season has officially begun! Children are invited to Start a Team in Destination Imagination (DI) today and become a part of the world's premier creativity, teamwork, and problem solving program. To date, DI has engaged more than 3 million participants worldwide.

Destination Imagination is an innovative organization that teaches creativity, teamwork and problem solving. In DI, student teams participate in Challenges, exercises that socially and intellectually activate students by prompting them to use creativity and teamwork to solve problems.

DI Team Challenges fall into seven categories: technical and mechanical; science and theater arts; theater and fine arts; improvisation and theater arts; structural and architectural design; Rising Stars! for early learners; and projectOUTREACH, DI's community service challenge.

On September 18th at 7:00pm, the Dal-Rich Region, which serves RISD schools, will host a DI interest session. This meeting is an introduction to the DI program. The meeting will be held at the Richardson ISD Professional Development Center (701 W. Belt Line Road in Richardson).

For information regarding team registration deadlines, tournament dates, and how to start a team, please email Megan.Malone@gmail.com. For more information on Destination Imagination® please visit www.idodi.org. >Top