KATY ISD ON REVIEW  SUMMER 1984:

From the Katy ISD ON REVIEW mailed to parents in the Summer of 1984:

"Kindergarten Placement"

Class placement is determined by student birthday.  Older students will attend the

morning session and the younger students will attend the afternoon session.

Kindergarten is the readiness year.  The program challenges the student's

curiosity but does not force him beyond the point where high interest can be

maintained. Five-year-olds are still living in a world sometimes confused

between fantasy and reality.  The student's first experiences should be happy

and in a pleasant atmosphere where he can experiment and mature at his own

pace without undue pressure.  The kindergarten child in Katy ISD is not

expected to learn to read during this year.

A parent conference is scheduled in January.  A written progress report is

sent home at the end of May.  Other conferences may be held at the parent's

and/or the teacher's request."

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Like I say so many times in so many places, the education that we had was far

superior thirty years ago compared to what currently exists. The attitudes toward

 the student, the common sense that was displayed by the administrators, the

curriculum that was in place all worked to enhance the academic education of

students.  There was nothing wrong with public education in Texas in 1984!

In this same issue of On Review, there is a statement from Gordon Brown, who

was the superintendent at the time.  He tells about the Select Committee on

Public School Education, HB72 which "reformed" education and HB246 which

changed the curriculum. 

Would that they had left it all alone...