CHRIS ARDIS: With TAKS results near, Sharyland hopes winning streak continues

The sweating starts long before the release date. Stress levels rise and speculative calculations are made as the guessing game lingers on. And then the day arrives. School districts throughout the state receive the official results of the TAKS test and the state's accountability ratings.

Last year's results are cause for celebration in Sharyland ISD. The district earned "recognized" status (a step above "acceptable" and one step below the coveted "exemplary") at the state level, and all campuses met AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) at the federal level, as required by No Child Left Behind.

I asked Sharyland Superintendent Scott Owings if the district developed a systematic approach to achieving "recognized" status. He placed the credit on the district's top-notch curriculum department, school administrators, teachers and students.

SISD provides bonuses to teachers in critical need areas and gives teachers longevity bonuses (instead of a plaque), awarding those bonuses after five years of service and every five years after that.

"Otherwise you lose a wealth of experience," Owings told me.

While many people think Sharyland is a city, it isn't. It is a school district. Though people sometimes say they live in Sharyland, that isn't technically possible. Normally what they mean is they live in Mission or McAllen, but their homes are within Sharyland ISD. Sharyland gained its independence from McAllen ISD in 1921 and continues to grow. They became a 5A district in 2004-05.

Sharyland High School currently educates just over 2600 students. Two junior highs and eight elementary schools round out SISD. It is interesting to note that sixth graders in Sharyland remain at the elementary and seventh and eighth graders attend junior highs rather than middle schools, the idea being that they will be better prepared for high school.

Growth in the district is not accidental. Many people choose to move into the district because, as Owings put it, "We have a little more old-fashioned discipline and a stricter dress code," and he feels certain both add to the overall academic environment. SISD has won the University Interscholastic League championship 47 out of the 48 years they have competed.

At the state level, 68.2 percent of high school students take the SAT/ACT. In Region I, that average is 68.7 percent. At Sharyland High School, 77.1 percent of their students take these college entrance exams. They received the 2008 College Readiness Award for sustained improvements in ACT scores over the past five years while still testing a high percentage of students.

As a result of workforce studies and student surveys, SISD now offers dual enrollment courses, ROTC, Health Occupations, law enforcement and mariachi.

SISD is often called the "rich" district, but Owings works to erase that misconception. Contrary to popular belief, 56 percent of the district's students are low income. In addition, the district's total revenue per student is the lowest in Region I, he told me. "We do more with less."

Though SISD continues to grow, district personnel work to preserve the "small-town" feel. Their job is made easier by involved parents. "I've never seen so much parental support," Owings said.

Like every other district, SISD will experience apprehension in the fall as they await this year's scores. But Owings hopes the district is on a roll.

Chris Ardis is a teacher with the McAllen school district. To reach her, send e-mail to cardis1022@aol.com.