Study gives CEP high marks
The long-awaited study of HISD's two disciplinary alternative schools run by Community Education Partners is done. In a nutshell, the Texas A&M University researchers found that CEP met most of the performance targets spelled out in its $18-million-a-year contract with the district. The Houston Press called the study "a big wet kiss." The entire report is below so you can judge for yourself.
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, who had wanted to sever ties with CEP but decided last month to recommend reducing the company's fee by about $4 million, didn't refute the findings but questioned whether the benchmarks set in the contract were high enough. For example, he questioned whether the pre- and post-tests that CEP gave students were good measures of progress. Based on that, students on average improved at least three grade levels in reading and math after spending at least 90 days at CEP. About 90 percent of the students showed some growth. The contract calls for 70 percent of students to show growth,