After attending the Meet and Greet for new Cobb school Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa at Sprayberry High School on June 2, I decided to conduct my own online search of Hinojosa, checking the accuracy of his comments as well as those in recent news articles. After an extensive search, I was pleasantly surprised at his honesty, qualifications, achievements and commitment to education.
Here are a few facts I discovered:
* Hinojosa graduated from Texas Tech University with a 4.0 GPA.
* When Hinojosa was superintendent for the Hayes School district, he had the Hayes High Rebels' Confederate Battle flag removed as their school symbol.
* He believes students should graduate ready to compete globally and become academically literate in two languages, learning English as non-negotiable. Some Dallas 5th graders are already trilingual.
* A budgetary scandal occurred during Hinojosa's first year involving his administrative staff using district credit cards and car allowances for personal gain. Does that sound familiar to those who watch our own state government's scandals?
* In 2004, a yearD to stop making up Social Security numbers for foreign-born hires. After the budget scandal in 2005-06, Hinojosa created the Office of Professional Responsibility, led by retired IRS agents. The practice was stopped and the problem was cleared up.
* Hinojosa did hire teachers from various countries when he had a severe teacher shortage. So did the Marietta schools. In Marietta, they were called the "International Visiting Faculty." In Marietta, they were the first teachers to be laid off when their budget crisis hit.
* In 2005, after the budget scandal, Hinojosa successfully led the Dallas District in absorbing thousands of students from the cash-strapped Wilmer-Hutchins School District and a month later absorbed thousands more from the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast.e was able to accomplish this and still stay under budget.
* The reason the DISD is in budgetary crisis now is because the state severely cut school funding for the 2011-12 school.
* Hinojosa did not share the current DISD ACT and SAT scores at the meeting and I could not find them online. For 2008, they were quite low at 17.2 and 855 respectively, much lower than CCSD scores.
But there are other academic markers that should be looked at when determining if a school district is educating its children and improving its schools each year. Seven thousand students will graduate from Dallas schools this year.The DISD made the College Board of Advanced Placement Achievement List for making significant gains in AP Classes and student performance. Under Hinojosa's leadership the number of students taking AP Classes increased from 4,883 to 6,319. The students scoring three or more on AP tests improved by 25 percent. College ready students grew from 20 percent in 2005 to 35 percent in 2010. Academically unacceptable schools in Dallas declined from 27 percent in 2007 to 15 percent in 2010 and Exemplary schools increased from 14 percent in 2007 to 66 percent in 2010. The Dallas District has the top magnet schools in the nation. In 2010, USA Today voted the Dallas Independent Talented and Gifted High School top in the nation.
* Hinojosa was not a fan of charter schools for the DISD, but when the school board wanted them, he began the process of implementing their directive and developing a plan. He visited several other cities to study their charter schools.
Is Hinojosa perfect? No. Some in Dallas say "he is not known for politicking, schmoozing or coalescing opposing forces." They say he doesn't always communicate well with the public. But Hinojosa did say at the Meet and Greet he would implement what the board directs and is willing to work with community groups, students, teachers and others. I like the idea of him visiting schools unannounced, getting an unfiltered look at what is going on in the "field." Aren't these attributes the public has been seeking in a superintendent for a long time?
Emily Hewett
Marietta
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It seems that Dr Hinojosa main concern is that we eventually we will not have to bother with "Press 1 for English" when calling local officials. All business will be conducted in our unifying language, Spanish.
If they wanted some diversity Beverly Hall was available and they would not have had to pay her moving cost.
It's time for a clean sweep of the school board, replacing the current members with ones who take their duties more seriously. What makes this guy worth $277,000? And with this money to offer, this was the best they could do?
Tom Grier
Campbell High School Class of 65
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
A racist believes that there is an inherent difference between the races. If I try to make sure that there is 'no sign or thought' of Red Sox fans, that doesn't make me a racist, because Red Sox fans are not a race. The Confederate flag is a symbol of a system of government that fostered and upheld the doctrine that blacks were inherently inferior to whites. That is why it is seen as racist.
A "Racist" is anyone who tries to eliminate any sign or thought of those with whom they might disagree.
Can you possibly understand that "Racist Flag" poster? In my way of thinking you, repeat you, are the "racist" here.
Emily = N-A-I-V-E!
The way to measure the success or failure of any school district is not by how many students made significant gains in advanced placement tests and were considered "college ready" upon graduation. The real measure is fourfold: 1) What percentage of students who entered the 9th grade did not graduate from 12th grade with a diploma; 2)What percentage of those who graduated were "industry ready" and capable of earning a living; 3)what percentage of those who graduated could read, write and manage a checkbook; and 3)How many of those who graduated as "college ready" actually entered college and graduated with a degree in 4 years?
Hinojose talked a lot about himself and what he has achieved in life to date, but has said very little about what the children under his care have achieved after graduation, or non graduation from high school, as adults. His achievements in that area, like most of his peers, are minute at best and are one of the primary reasons why a nationally know educational commentator guest stated on CNBC last week that "Our society is only one generation from losing it all". Welcome to the 21st Century.