About Sandy Kress
Sandy Kress, the Austin attorney who chaired the committee that first introduced Texas' pioneering education accountability system, detailed the remarkable academic gains that Texas students have made in the era of accountability.
"It's remarkable, and too little known," Sandy Kress said, "that black 4th graders in Texas were found by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in 2011 to be a stunning 3 1/2 grade levels ahead of where they were in math in 1992, the year before we began accountability."
"Fourth grade Hispanic students," Kress continued, "have improved in math by an amazing 2 1/2 grade levels."
"The math results for 8th grade students of color are even better," Kress said.
"While the reading scores are up, but not up as much," Kress noted, "the achievement gaps between whites and minority students are at all time lows across the board." "And, happily, scores for white students are up and at historically high levels."
Sandy Kress has served for almost 25 years at the invitation of Lieutenant Governor Bullock, Governors Bush and Perry, and numerous Commissioners of Education on multiple state panels and committees to build and improve Texas' nationally recognized education accountability system
As Sandy Kress sees changes in state policy emerging, he worries that: "we need to be very careful that we not undermine the accountability that contributed to achieving these gains." "If we weaken, we risk stalling or actually losing ground, which would be tragic."
"It's remarkable, and too little known," Sandy Kress said, "that black 4th graders in Texas were found by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in 2011 to be a stunning 3 1/2 grade levels ahead of where they were in math in 1992, the year before we began accountability."
"Fourth grade Hispanic students," Kress continued, "have improved in math by an amazing 2 1/2 grade levels."
"The math results for 8th grade students of color are even better," Kress said.
"While the reading scores are up, but not up as much," Kress noted, "the achievement gaps between whites and minority students are at all time lows across the board." "And, happily, scores for white students are up and at historically high levels."
Sandy Kress has served for almost 25 years at the invitation of Lieutenant Governor Bullock, Governors Bush and Perry, and numerous Commissioners of Education on multiple state panels and committees to build and improve Texas' nationally recognized education accountability system
As Sandy Kress sees changes in state policy emerging, he worries that: "we need to be very careful that we not undermine the accountability that contributed to achieving these gains." "If we weaken, we risk stalling or actually losing ground, which would be tragic."