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The Answer

Step 1 on the Path Toward Exemplary

March 04, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

March 3rd: Step 1 on the Path to Exemplary

“To build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages today that determine success with a society that provides opportunities for all.” - Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers

YES Prep Southeast students study for exams like TAKS, SAT and ACT For many of the schools around the state of Texas, March 3^rd is the first day towards achieving their goals outlined on the campus improvement plans – the plans they create to ensure that more students will pass tests than the previous year. It is the reason many of the schools in the area made the decision to shut down electives since the beginning of 2nd semester. Getting rid of what they see as “ancillary” classes means students are drilled and killed with TAKS for three solid months. The results on the TAKS tests will determine whether or not this year is a success for the school, and every decision that most teachers and school leaders have made has been TAKS-centered since the beginning of the year.

Thinking back to our campus strategic goals at YES Prep Southeast for this year, you won’t see the TAKS acronym mentioned as anything more than a metric as part of a larger goal. It’s not that TAKS isn’t important, or that success on this test doesn’t matter, because it most certainly does. This test is how we will be compared to the other schools in the state and the results will be published for everyone to view. One of the reasons that TAKS isn’t the focus of our goals is because as an organization we believe in the quote above by Malcolm Gladwell. People accept the challenge of working at YES Prep because they want to provide opportunities for our students that will lead to their success and they agree that this is attainable through a college education. Success on the TAKS test isn’t the destination, but a milestone along the way.

YES Prep Southeast has set a standard of excellence with years of earning exemplary ratings and 100% passing has YES Prep Southeast student and teacher talking become an expectation, not a goal. While exemplary has become an expectation, we still recognize that this is a lofty goal that can’t be taken for granted. Last year less than 6% of middle schools and 3% of highs schools in the state of Texas earned an exemplary rating. Historically, we have been a part of this select group because our teachers give up Saturdays for tutorials, because of the many others that are giving tutorials while walking around eating lunch, or staying until after 6:00 each night to build the skills and confidence in our students that would need the greatest attention. On Wednesday, March 3^rd 2010, we all become teachers of 7th grade writing, and 9th, 10th, and 11th English. It’s the game time and our time to show we are F1RST and have no intention of relinquishing our ranking!