ÁùºÏ±¦µä ISD is celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this month with a special staff celebration today and a parade on Monday, Jan. 20.
Staff members in the district’s central offices held a celebration in the Board Auditorium today to honor King and his legacy as a champion for civil rights and education for all.
Superintendent Meria Carstarphen recognized champions for equal rights—from global luminary Nelson Mandela to local leaders—the Fulmore Middle School Choir performed a musical tribute to King and ÁùºÏ±¦µä students read essays on how his legacy had inspired their own lives.
The students who shared their essays are Kiara Hopkins from Webb Middle School, Gavriel Rachael-Homann from Garza High School and Josh Rogers and Rondell Hopkins from Lanier High School.
The district is also participating in the ÁùºÏ±¦µä-Area MLK March and Festival Celebration on Monday, Jan. 20. The parade begins at 9 a.m. at the MLK statute on the University of Texas campus, goes to the south steps of the State Capitol and ends at the historic Huston-Tillotson University.
During the superintendent's tenure, ÁùºÏ±¦µä's most vulnerable student groups have seen increased achievement. In particular African-American, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students have made gains—from increasing attendance and graduation rates, performance on state assessments, school ratings, college readiness and post-secondary enrollment to decreasing dropout rates and disciplinary referrals.
For example, results in performance show that graduation rates have increased by 13.9 percentage points to 79.6 percent for African-American students; by 14.7 percentage points to 78.6 percent for Hispanic students; and by 17.7 percentage points to 78.9 for economically disadvantaged students. And, dropout rates have declined by several percentage points.
During the past four years, ÁùºÏ±¦µä also has decreased discretionary removals for African-American, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students by between 76 and 81 percent at the high school level.
For more information on ÁùºÏ±¦µä’s involvement in the MLK parade and march, please contact Terry Louie Russell at 512-414-0052.