Quarter 1 Update from our Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown

Dear Klein ISD Families and Community,

We’ve had an incredible start to the 23-24 school year, and it’s hard to believe we’ve already finished our first quarter! We remain focused on ensuring our students enjoy a top-notch learning experience, as our promise to provide every student with an excellent education is the foundation of everything we do in Klein ISD. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made so far and happy to share with you the highlights of our collective success.

 

Top Parent-Rated School District
I believe that parents are our student’s first and forever teachers, which is why I’m especially proud that Klein ISD recently became the highest parent-rated school district in the greater Houston area, according to Niche.com. This distinction serves as a reflection of Klein ISD’s steadfast commitment to providing unparalleled educational experiences and working in partnership with our students’ parents and families.

 

Best Family Satisfaction Results Ever
Each year, we ask parents of returning students to complete a Klein Family Satisfaction Survey to learn more about their overall experience with Klein ISD. With nearly 20,000 families participating in the survey this year so far, we are proud to receive straight As from our students’ families in several key areas. We’re so proud that the overwhelming majority of our families believe that Klein ISD is on the right track in providing a high-quality educational experience for students and families.

 

Nationally Recognized, Award-Winning Schools

• I’m so excited to share that Nitsch Elementary has been honored as a National Blue Ribbon School and is the first elementary school in Klein ISD’s history to receive this prestigious recognition for academic achievement! This award celebrates the highest-performing schools across the United States as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests in academic achievement and closing the achievement gap. 

• Klein High, Klein Oak, Klein Collins, and Klein Cain have all been named among the “Best High Schools in the US” by U.S. News & World Report for the 2022-2023 academic year. The evaluation criteria include college readiness, reading, math, and science proficiency, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates.

 

Improved Student Performance in Academics
Klein ISD is dedicated to providing every student with excellent learning experiences as part of their educational journey. We believe in utilizing a variety of ways to measure our students’ academic success and analyze achievement outcomes. With such a successful 2022-2023 school year, we have much to celebrate, including that more students than ever are enrolled in and succeeding in advanced coursework in Klein ISD.

Each year, students are required by the state of Texas to take standardized assessments, such as the STAAR test and End of Course exams, which the Texas Education Agency (TEA) uses as part of an assessment system that evaluates school and district academic performance. These test scores are a significant part of the overall A-F Accountability System, which the state of Texas relies heavily upon to rate school districts an A, B, C, D, or F. Here’s what we know:

• Individual student STAAR test results have been released to parents and schools, and despite the increased difficulty and changes in the test format, Klein ISD students outperformed both the state and region in 13 regular STAAR assessments. 

• The TEA has been working through an A-F Accountability “Refresh” for over a year and has yet to provide school districts with the final rules for how schools and districts will earn an A-F rating. 

  • The limited information shared with school districts by TEA to date states that due to the new rules, it is likely that district and school A-F letter grade ratings could decline even though student performance improved.

  • On September 12, 2023, TEA announced that the A-F Accountability Manual and the Fall 2023 A-F Ratings will be further delayed, so districts still do not know the final rules that will be used to rate schools and the district an A, B, C, D, or F.

• As a result, Klein ISD has joined over 100 school districts across the state in filing a lawsuit against TEA. Shifting the goalposts after the fact is not in the best interest of our Texas schools or the communities they serve. We hope that by standing together with other reputable, high-performing districts, we can work towards a reasonable solution that holds schools and districts accountable for student learning by clearly determining and communicating the rules prior to students being evaluated.

 

Your 2022 Bond Funds at Work
We continue to make improvements in our schools thanks to the Klein community showing up and voting FOR the largest bond program in Klein ISD history! As part of the 2022 Bond, safety improvements, campus renovations and additions, academic/arts/athletics improvements, purchase of additional school buses, and more have been completed or are underway across the district. Additionally, students and staff members have access to new devices, and nearly 4,000 classrooms received new instructional technology for enhanced learning experiences. Make sure to follow us on Facebook for regular photo updates.

Klein ISD’s continued success is a result of our talented kids, dedicated teachers, supportive families, and faithful community and business partners—thank you for working together to keep Klein a great place to call home. 

Enjoy the Fall Break, and see you soon in Quarter 2!

Gratefully,
Dr. Jenny McGown