Aldine Independent School District
The Aldine Independent School District is a public school district based in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. It serves portions of Houston and unincorporated Harris County. Aldine ISD serves the communities of Aldine, most of Greenspoint, most of East Aldine,[3] and portions of Airline, Acres Homes, Kinwood, Bordersville, and Inwood Forest. The district is part of the taxation base for the Lone Star College System. As of 2020, LaTonya Goffney serves as superintendent of schools.
| Aldine Independent School District | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 2520 W.W. Thorne Blvd. Houston, TX 77073 United States | |
| Coordinates | 29°56′5″N 95°21′21″W |
| District information | |
| Type | Independent school district |
| Motto | We Are Aldine |
| Grades | Pre-K through 12 |
| Established | 1935 |
| Superintendent | LaTonya Goffney |
| Schools | 82 (2018-2019) |
| NCES District ID | 4807710[2] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 66,854 (2018–2019)[2] |
| Teachers | 4,128.18 (FTE) |
| Student–teacher ratio | 16.19 |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
History
The origin and story of the Aldine Independent School District (AISD) begins before the founding of the district itself in 1935. What would eventually become AISD actually started as a series of one-room schoolhouses in the late 1870s located in what was then sparsely populated and rural north and north central Harris County, Texas.
In 1876, after a series of new education laws, Harris County authorized the creation of several school communities. Harris County School Community No. 1, the Westfield School Community, was established by W. L. Higgs, H. Illonefield and James McLeod on September 30, 1876.[4] Harris County School Community No. 13, the Durdin School Community, was established by G. L. Durdin, Pleasant Smith Humble, and H. Smith on December 22, 1876.[5] On 18 November 1881, the trustees of Westfield Community No. 1 (H. Tautenhahn, Redding Jackson and S. Yarborough) were authorized to sell off the old school house and one acre of land, and put the proceeds towards the debts against the new school house.[6]
On 17 February 1882, the area was defined as Harris County Election Precinct No. 23, with the following boundaries: "Beginning where the HE & WT Railroad crosses the line of Harris and Montgomery Counties. Thence with County Line to mouth of Cypress Creek. Thence up said creek to the east line of the G H Delesdernier survey. Thence with line of Delesdernier & Walters surveys to SW corner of Walter Survey. Thence to head of Halls Bayou. Thence to HE & WT Railroad at or near N. W. Corner of Harris and Wilson Surey. Thence with said Railroad to place of beginning. The voting place of said precinct shall be "H. Tantenhahn Store" and H. Tantenhan the Presiding Officer (voting) there of."[7]
In 1883, 38 students were being educated in the Westfield community, and 20 students in the Higgs community.[8]
In the mid-1880s, the Harris County Commissioners Court consolidated the local school communities (Higgs and Westfield) into one school district: Harris County Common School District 29 on 18 June 1884.[9] A single three-person board directed activities of the district for four decades.
For the 1909–1910 school year, teachers included: Nellie Mae Pattison (Higgs), Mary S. Smith (Aldine), Alice Haley (Aldine), Fannie B. Smith (Westfield), Pinkis Ellisor (Hartwell), and Minerva Jones (Hartwell). Ida L. Green taught colored students at the Higgs School. Trustees were E. H. Durdin, W. G. Jones, and Harry Ashton.[10]
A trustee election was held on 9 April 1910 at the Higgs and Aldine Schoolhouses. W. G. Jones was elected over A. W. Charpiot and . R. Tautenhahn.[11] On 19 February 1910, a schoolhouse bond of $8,000 (for constructing and equipping a public free school building of wood material) was passed by the citizens.[12]
School trustees for 1911–1912 were W. G. Jones, E. H. Durdin and George W. Shramm. Principal of the Aldine School was L. D. Washington.[13]
In 1912–1913, District 29 had three intermediate schools (grades 1–7): Aldine, Westfield and Higgs. It also had one high school that educated students in grades 8 and 9: Hartwell. School trustees were E. H. Durdin, W. G. Jones and Harry Ashton. Teachers for that year were Nellie Mae Patterson (Aldine), Alice Haley (Aldine), Fannie B. Smith (Westfield), Pinkis Ellisor (Hartwell), Minerva Jones (Hartwell).[14]
For 1913–1914, the Westfield school was not in operation.[15]
The Brubaker community was added as other districts around Aldine were dissolved.
A 1934 map of Harris County school districts shows (1) the Aldine School near the intersection of Aldine-Bender (today's FM 525) and Aldine-Westfield, (2) the Brubaker School near the intersection of Blue Bell Road and East Montgomery (today's Airline Drive), (3) the Higgs School on Lee Road at Garners Bayou, just south of Humble-Westfield Road (today's FM 1960), (4) the Westfield School on the south side of Humble-Westfield Road (FM 1960), just west of Hardy, and (5) the Hartwell School near the southwest corner of Humble-Westfield (FM 1960) and Aldine-Westfield Road.
On June 18, 1932, District 29 residents voted 123-44 for a $40,000 bond to consolidate the four white schoolhouses (Aldine, Brubaker, Higgs and Westfield) into one new centralized school.[16] This two-story brick building would contain 12 classrooms and an auditorium.[17] It would house grades 1-7 and allow the district to offer high school classes (grades 8 and 9) for the first time since the Hartwell School had closed.[18]
When the 1932-33 school year began, high school students met at Memorial Baptist Church, located at East Montgomery Road (today's Airline Drive) and Gulf Bank.[19] The new, as yet unnamed school opened in February 1933 at the intersection of Aldine-Bender Road and Aldine Westfield and immediately was filled to capacity.[19]
District 29 added grades 10 and 11 in 1933-34 to complete what was then considered a full high school program.[20]
On May 25, 1934, the now-christened S.M.N. Marrs School graduated its first class, consisting of nine students.[21] S. M. N. Marrs was named for Starlin Marion Newberry Marrs, who served as the state superintendent of public instruction for Texas from 1923 to 1932.
Roughly a year later, in the spring of 1935, District 29 absorbed part of Common School District 49, also known as the North Houston District.[22]
In the mid-1930s, more and more common school districts across the state were becoming independent school districts. On May 4, 1935, voters in Common School District 29 approved creation of the Aldine Independent School District (AISD) by a 128 to 28 margin.[22] Being independent created several advantages for the district, which included (1) more local control, and (2) increased taxing authority. Common school districts did not collect taxes. They received appropriations from the county based on taxable land in their boundaries. By becoming an independent school district, the district could tax property directly and be out from under the control of the Harris County School Board.[23]
With the S.M.N. Marrs School filled to capacity, AISD voters approved 57-14 a $25,000 bond for construction of a new 10-classroom junior/senior high school building on September 7, 1935.[24] This new building opened in 1936 next door to the Marrs School on Aldine-Westfield Road.[25] It too was named S.M.N. Marrs.
AISD acquired part of Common School District 26, also known as the White Oak District, in 1937.[26] This added portions of Acres Homes to AISD. Included was the White Oak School, which became the district's school for blacks.
In the spring of 1948, AISD opened a yet another high school located immediately to the north of S.M.N. Marrs High.[27] This school was named Aldine High School, after the nearby community. The former Marrs High School was turned into a junior high school.
In 1953 a second elementary school was built at 222 Raymac and was named Inez Carroll after a former educator in the district.
On November 24, 1954, the main building of Aldine High School was destroyed by a six-alarm fire.[28] A new high school campus was built in 1956 at 11101 Airline Drive at West Road on the site of the former Gulf Coast Airport.[29]
Desegregation
In 1964, George Franklin Sampson attempted to enroll his children at Aldine High School. The district denied his request and informed him that his children were required to attend Carver High School, the district's black school. Sampson filed a lawsuit against the district, Sampson and the United States v. Aldine Independent School District, arguing that Aldine ISD's separate schools for black students were illegal. The court ruled in favor of Sampson, requiring the district to integrate its schools.[30]
In 1977, although Aldine ISD was almost 75% white, the district still had several schools which were all black.[31] As a result, the district was placed under a federal court order to redraw attendance zones so that every school in 1978 would have less than 30% black enrollment.[30][31] The order also stated that for each subsequent year the district must keep black enrollment at every school within 15% of the district average and that the percentage of black teachers at each school should be within 5% of the district average at primary schools and 10% at secondary schools.[31] The court order was removed on December 5, 2002.[30]
Recognition
Aldine ISD received the Broad Prize for Urban Education in 2009 and was a finalist for the award in 2004, 2005, and 2008.[32] The district received a Magna Award in 1999 from the American School Board Journal for its "Benchmark Targets for Academic Achievement" program.[33] The school board was listed as the Outstanding School Board by the Texas Association of School Administrators in 1973 and 1998, and was listed as an Honor Board in 2013.[34]
Demographics
For the 2018–2019 school year, AISD had a total enrollment of 66,854 students.[2] 87.2% of students were economically disadvantaged, 34.6% were English Language Learners, and 8.1% received Special Education Services.[35]
Ethnic Distribution[35]
- 22.7% African American
- 1.1% Asian
- 72.7% Hispanic
- 0.3% American Indian
- 0.2% Pacific Islander
- 0.7% Two or More Races
- 2.4% White
Finances
As of the 2010–2011 school year, the appraised valuation of property in the district was $12,523,849,000.[1] The maintenance tax rate was $0.113 and the bond tax rate was $0.017 per $100 of appraised valuation.[1]
Academic achievement
In 2011, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.[36] Forty-nine percent of districts in Texas in 2011 received the same rating.[37] No state accountability ratings will be given to districts in 2012.[38] A school district in Texas can receive one of four possible rankings from the Texas Education Agency: Exemplary (the highest possible ranking), Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable (the lowest possible ranking).
Historical district TEA accountability ratings[36]
- 2014: Met Standard
- 2013: Met Standard
- 2011: Academically Acceptable
- 2010: Academically Acceptable
- 2009: Academically Acceptable
- 2008: Academically Acceptable
- 2007: Academically Acceptable
- 2006: Academically Acceptable
- 2005: Academically Acceptable
- 2004: Academically Acceptable
(Note that the TEA did not issue accountability ratings in 2012 as it was revising its ratings system.)
Schools
Alternative schools
- Lane School (Unincorporated) (Early Childhood–12)
- COMPASS (Unincorporated) (2–12)
- Hall Center for Education (Opened 1995) (Unincorporated)
- Dr. Archie Blanson Career and Technical Education High School (9-12)
Secondary schools
Senior High Schools (10–12)
- Aldine Senior High School (Established 1932. Present campus opened 1956) (Houston)
- Blanson CTE High School (Opened 2018)
- Carver High School (Houston)
- Davis Senior High School (Opened 2012) (Unincorporated)
- Eisenhower Senior High School (Opened 1972) (Houston)
- MacArthur Senior High School (Opened 1965) (Unincorporated)
- Nimitz Senior High School (Opened 1978) (Unincorporated)
- Victory Early College High School (Houston)
- YES Prep @ Eisenhower High School (Houston, Charter)
- The school uses Eisenhower High School as a host campus
Ninth Grade Schools (9)
- Aldine Ninth Grade School (Opened 1998) (Houston)
- Eisenhower Ninth Grade School(Opened 1999) (Houston)
- Douglas MacArthur Ninth Grade School (Opened 2000) (Unincorporated)
- Nimitz Ninth Grade School (Opened 2000) (Unincorporated)
- Davis Ninth Grade School
Middle Schools (6–8)
- Aldine Middle School (Colts)(Unincorporated)
- Drew Academy (Badgers) (Opened 1963)(Alternative school from 1978-1995) (Houston)
- Garcia Middle School (Ravens)(Unincorporated) (Opened 2018)
- Grantham Academy (Panthers) (Unincorporated)
- Hambrick Middle School (Hawks) (Opened 1961)(Unincorporated)
- Hoffman Middle School (Hornets) (Houston)
- Jones Middle School (Toros) (‘’Opened 2018’’)
- Lewis Middle School (Lions) (Opened 2010) (Unincorporated)
- Mead Middle School (Jaguars) (‘’Opened 2018’’)
- Plummer Middle School (Pumas)(Opened 2006) (Unincorporated)
- Shotwell Middle School (Sharks)(Unincorporated)
- Thomas J. Stovall Middle School (Stallion)(Opened 1964)(Houston)
- National Blue Ribbon School '90-'91 [39]
- Teague Middle School (Trojans)(Unincorporated)
- YES Prep @ Hoffman Middle School (Houston, Charter)
- The school uses Hoffman Middle School as a host campus
Primary schools
Former Intermediate Schools–Now Elementary Schools (5–6)
- Caraway Elementary School (Opened 1993) (Houston)
- Eckert Intermediate School (Opened 1994) (Unincorporated)
- Escamilla Elementary School (Opened 1994) (Unincorporated)
- Elementary School (FKA: Northwest Intermediate School) (Opened 2002) (Unincorporated)
Hill Elementary School
- Houston Academy ( ONLY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL)(Opened 2002) (Houston)
- Marcella Elementary School (Opened fall 2007) (Houston)
- Parker Elementary School (Opened 1995) (Unincorporated)
- Rayford(Ogden) Elementary School (Opened 2010) ("Unincorporated")
- Reed Academy (Opened 1995) (Unincorporated)
- Stehlik Elementary School (Opened 1994) (Unincorporated)
- Wilson Elementary School (Opened 1993) (Unincorporated)
Elementary schools (1–5)
- Conley Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Kujawa Elementary School (FKA: Aldine Elementary School) (Opened 2004) (Unincorporated)
- Spence Elementary School (Opened 2005) (Unincorporated)
- Thompson Elementary School (Houston)
1–5
- Black Elementary School (Houston)
- Bussey Elementary School (Opened 2004) (Houston)
- Calvert Elementary School (Opened 1992) (Unincorporated)
- Caraway Elementary School (Opened 1993) (Houston)
- Carmichael Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Carroll Academy (Unincorporated)
- Carter Academy (Opened 1999, Unincorporated)
- Dunn Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Ermel Elementary School (Houston)
- Francis Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Goodman Elementary (FKA: Hidden Valley Elementary School) (Opened 1964) (Houston)
- Gray Elementary School (Opened 1989) (Unincorporated)
- Harris Academy (Opened 2000) (Houston)
- Johnson Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Jones Elementary School (Opened 2008) (Unincorporated)
- Magrill Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Mendel Elementary School (Houston)
- Odom Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Orange Grove Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Oleson Elementary School (Opened 1961) (Unincorporated)
- Raymond Academy for Engineering (The school is a zoned school) (Unincorporated)
- Sammons Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Smith Academy (Houston)
- Stephens Elementary School (Unincorporated)
- Stovall Academy (Opened 1991) (Houston)
- Bill Worsham Elementary School (Unincorporated)
3–4
- Mary M. Bethune Academy (Houston) (closed 2018)
1–3
- Anderson Academy (Houston)
PK–K
- Reece Pre-K – K Academy (Houston)
Early childhood schools
- de Santiago EC/PK/K & Head Start Center (Unincorporated)
- Hinojosa EC/PK/K & Head Start Center (Unincorporated)
- A. W. Jones EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2008)
- Keeble EC/PK/K & Head Start Center (Unincorporated)
- Kujawa EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2008)
- Lou Vardamen EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2018)
- Griggs EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2018)
- Vines EC/PK & Head Start Center (Houston)
- Escamilla EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2009) (Unincorporated)
- Norma Garcia-Leza EC/PK/K Center (Opened Fall 2007)
Former schools
- Bethune Academy (closed 2018)
- Mendel Elementary School (closed 2017)
- Bordersville Elementary School (closed 1976)
- Edgewood Elementary School
- Inez Carroll Elementary School (Raymac Rd campus) (1953 - 2001)
- Katherine Smith Elementary School (1954 - 1959) (now part of the Houston Independent School District)
- Marrs/Aldine Elementary (1933 - 1961) (now the Ellen B. Lane Center)
- Marrs Junior/Senior High School (1936 - 1956) (Building incorporated into current Aldine Middle School)
- Aldine Senior High School (Aldine-Westfield Rd campus) (1948 - 1954)
Other facilities
- W.W. Thorne Stadium
- M.O. Campbell Center
- Elliott Lansford Field
- Aldine ISD Softball Complex
- William A. "Bill" Smith Stadium
- William "Bill" Plummer Stadium
Headquarters
The current headquarters building is the M.B. Sonny Donaldson Administration Building, a two-story facility in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, across from Nimitz High School.[40] The school district acquired the facility in spring 2015 from Baker Hughes and opened it on March 21, 2016, with the dedication ceremony on April 19 of that year. The funds to purchase it came from the general operating budget.[41]
The previous headquarters were in East Aldine.[42] After serving as the headquarters for a period of over 50 years, the former headquarters has since been demolished
See also
References
- "Texas School Directory 2012" (PDF). Texas Education Agency. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Aldine ISD". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- District Map (Archive). East Aldine District. January 2012. Retrieved on May 1, 2014.
- Director's School Record for Harris County. p. 62.
- Director's School Record for Harris County. p. 74.
- Harris County Commissioner Court Minutes. Vol. D. 1881-11-18. p. 360.
- Harris County Commissioners Court Minutes. Vol. D. 1882. p. 295.
- Texas School Journal. Vol. 1. Houston, Texas: Texas Educational Journal Publishing Co. Jan–Dec 1883. p. 194.
- Harris County Commissioners Court Minutes. Vol. E. 1884. p. 104.
- Report of Harris County Schools for the year ending August 31, 1910. Houston, Texas: Cargill Company.
- Harris County Commissioners Court Minutes. Vol. P. 1910-04-19. p. 220.
- Harris County Commissioners Minutes. Vol. P. 1910-06-30. pp. 308–309.
- Report of Harris County Schools. Houston: Dealy-Adey. 1912.
- Pugh, L. L. (1913). Report of Harris County Schools. Houston.
- Pugh, L. L. (1914). Report of Harris County Schools. Houston: Rein & Sons Company.
- "School District 29 Votes $40,000 Issue". Houston Chronicle. June 19, 1932.
- "New School Planned In Aldine District". Houston Chronicle. August 23, 1932.
- "District Has Dispute Over School Site". Houston Press. August 23, 1932.
- "Aldine School Building Nearing Completion". Houston Post. February 5, 1933.
- "4-Year School Is Slated". Houston Post. May 21, 1933.
- "Aldine School Exercises Will Be Held Friday". Houston Post. May 20, 1934.
- "Westfield-Aldine District Votes for Independent Area". Houston Chronicle. May 5, 1935.
- Meaux, Robert. "History of local school districts".
- "Aldine School Bond Issue Is Approved". Houston Post. September 8, 1935.
- "Many Schools Over County Open". Houston Chronicle. September 9, 1936.
- "Schools At Aldine Open Term Monday". Houston Post. September 12, 1937.
- Aldine High Roundup. 1948.
- "Aldine's School Loss $400,000". Houston Chronicle. November 25, 1954.
- Jackson, Ron. "Humble Oil 1952 Road Map of Houston". TexasFreeway.com. TexasFreeway.com. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- Graham, Priscilla T; Thibodeaux, James (19 November 2018). Historic Acres Homes the 44. Priscilla T Graham. pp. 15–19. ISBN 978-1-387-72695-0. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "Schools seek end of desegregation order." Associated Press at the Victoria Advocate. September 22, 2002. Retrieved on January 20, 2011.
- "The Broad Prize for Urban Education". The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "Magna Winners 1999". American School Board Journal. National School Boards Association. Archived from the original on 19 August 2000.
- "Outstanding School Board & Honor Boards 1971-Present". Texas Association of School Administrators. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "Profile: ALDINE ISD". Texas Education Agency. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "2011 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- "Texas Accountability System Summary of Ratings for 2004 through 2011(as of November 2, 2011) District Ratings by Rating Category (including Charter Operators)". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- "Accountability Rating System for Texas Public Schools and Districts". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002 (PDF) Archived 2009-03-26 at the Wayback Machinelink= link= 2009-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
- "Central Office Location Archived 2017-01-18 at the Wayback Machine." Aldine Independent School District. Retrieved on January 12, 2017.
- "Aldine ISD’s Central Office is relocating." Aldine Independent School District. Retrieved on January 12, 2017.
- "School Directory Archived 2014-05-05 at the Wayback Machine." Aldine Independent School District. Retrieved on May 5, 2014. "14910 Aldine Westfield Rd., Houston, TX 77032"
Further reading
Harris County Block Book maps, Aldine ISD Antoine Drive Bus Maintenance Facility (JPG, PDF). Volume 119, page 208.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aldine Independent School District. |
- Aldine ISD
- Aldine ISD at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Mellon, Ericka. "Aldine named best urban school system in America." Houston Chronicle. September 16, 2009.
