The plan at Garden Oaks is for TRANSITION. It is a slow, measured process over 5 years that will not “force” anyone into Montessori that is currently in a traditional class. Children enrolling in traditional Kindergarten in 2010 will be able to stay through 5th grade at GOES.

Out of a capacity of 575, only 239 zoned students choose Garden Oaks’ traditional program. That is alarming, and portends a steady enrollment decline. More telling: Already 171 Montessori students attend GOES, yet there are 131 new applications for only 44 spaces this fall – plus 26 traditional GOES students who wish to enroll in Montessori.

On standardized tests, Montessori students generally outperform traditional students at GOES. You may access this report at http://tinyurl.com/hisdmagnetgrant.

The Montessori Program is the heart of Garden Oaks Elementary. Since its inception, the program has quadrupled in size. Every year there is a waiting list. Montessori makes up a third of the school because its growth has been limited by budget constraints.

Montessori parents support the entire school.

GOES Montessori parents:

≠ Contributed 2,500 volunteer hours this school year

≠ Make up the majority of active PTA Board and committee chairs

≠ Raise and contribute tens of thousands of school dollars

Without Montessori at Garden Oaks, enrollment would be 373 students and the school may eventually be considered for closure. If the issue is about choice, what choice does this leave?

If this proposal slips away, what choice will there be for the hundreds of students seeking public Montessori? What choice will minority and lower income students have, those who make up much of GOES Montessori? What choice will our neighborhood’s newest families have who desire alternative public education?

It seems clear that middle- and low-income families want Montessori education in public schools. For the next fall school year, there are 130 kids on the waiting list for Montessori at Garden Oaks Elementary School -- clearly an indicator of the program's popularity. At HISD's only all-Montessori elementary school campus, Wilson, there are 240 children on the waiting list.

Transition, Capacity, Standardized Test, Growth, Support, School Closure, Garden Oaks parent,

We appreciate all of y'all reading and taking time to post here. Hope you'll keeping doing both.

Take care,

Jennifer P.

jennifer@texaswatchdog.org

HISD Board of Trustees voted to approve the federal magnet grant application last night at the HISD April Board meeting. Garden Oaks is included in the grant application and will be converted into a complete Montessori magnet. Thanks for reading the article and providing more insight! Lynn@TexasWatchdog.org