Estacado Ranks Among Best Schools in Texas

by: CECILIA MASTERS Plainview ISD/Published: December 11, 2007

"Estacado Equals Excellence" is not just a motto at Estacado Junior High, it is a way of living, teaching and learning for all students and staff.

The December issue of Texas Monthly magazine includes an article listing the Best Public Schools in Texas, and Estacado Junior High is listed as one of 246 best middle schools in the state.

A total of 857 schools were selected for this recognition, including 447 elementary schools and 134 high schools.

Texas Monthly selected the high performance ranking schools according to the number of subjects (such as reading, writing, math, science and social studies) in which they excel. The National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA, formerly Just for Kids) partnered with Texas Monthly and analyzed student test results for the past three years as the basis for this year's ranking.

Elementary schools that are included on the list performed better, across all grades, on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Test than did their counterparts at other schools around the state.

Middle schools and high schools made the list because their students' improvement on the TAKS Test was higher than predicted by their previous test scores.

According to the rankings listed in Texas Monthly, Estacado was consistently higher performing in math, which means that based on these students' (last year's eighth graders) previous TAKS scores in math, these students made greater gains in math than were projected. Projections were based on these students' TAKS math scores when they were tested in seventh grade and in sixth grade.

Last year, Estacado's eighth graders had an 81 percent passing rate in TAKS math while the state was at 71 percent. This same group of students had a 74 percent passing rate in TAKS math when they were tested as seventh graders, and when they were sixth graders had a 64 percent passing rate in TAKS math.

Estacado has already met exemplary status in reading and social studies, which means every subgroup of students met the standard with a 90 or above in both subjects.

When asked her thoughts of Estacado being selected as one of the best schools in Texas, Dr. Dana West, school principal said, "We have collegial culture at our school. We have high expectations for ourselves and our students. Estacado = Excellence is not just something we say. It is demonstrated every day."

"Systems have been set up to encourage collaboration. Collaboration encourages trust. Trust encourages respect and respect encourages lasting friendships among staff," West said.

"We have a deep sense of understanding and gratitude for the work that others do here. We know it takes all of us to be successful. Excellence is not left to chance. It's intentional.

"Estacado subscribes to the Hedgehog Concept", she added. "In essence, a hedgehog sees what is essential and ignores the rest. The Hedgehog Concept requires that three questions are answered:

1. What are you deeply passionate about?
2. What can you be the best in the world at?
3. What drives your economic engine?

"At Estacado, we demonstrate excellence in academics and character. All campus initiatives include high expectations in academics and character.

"We don't have a 'single practice,' per say, but we do have 'Excellence at Estacado'," West stressed. "We are passionate about our students' education in academics and character. We strive to be experts at making a positive difference in the lives of our students. We are intentional in our efforts to give our community the best school their tax dollars can purchase.

"At Estacado, excellence is the driving force in all we do. There is not a substitute or a program that can replace day-in and day-out, bell-to-bell, TEKS-aligned instruction," she added.