Houston ISD

Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Its schools are dedicated to giving every student the best possible education through an intensive core curriculum and specialized, challenging instructional and career programs. HISD is working hard to become Houstonians’ K–12 school system of choice, by constantly improving instruction and management to be as effective, productive, and economical as possible.

Click for larger version.

In the Houston Independent School District (HISD), students have the choice to attend the school in their neighborhood attendance area as well as any school in the district (called intradistrict choice), as long as there is space available. Students may also attend magnet or charter schools.

Through the Public Education Grant Program (PEG), students who are enrolled in schools that have been rated as low-performing by the Texas Education Agency in any of the last three years, or in which more than half of the students failed the TAAS/TAKS for two of any three consecutive years, may transfer to another school or another district of their choice.

Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, students attending a Title I school designated as “in need of improvement” have the right to attend a higher-performing school in the district.

Alief ISD

Alief Independent School District was founded in 1917 and is located in southwest Houston, an urban community with thriving businesses, active churches, and a variety of recreational facilities. The school district encompasses 36.6 square miles. The District has 21 Recognized schools and 7 Exemplary schools and provides education for students in prekindergarten through grade twelve. The district offers a wide range of educational opportunities in academics, the arts, and career and technology education. Special education, gifted and talented, English as a second language (ESL), and English-Spanish bilingual programs are also available. The Alief Early College High School program offers students the ability to earn a diploma and up to 60 hours college credit simultaneously. They also have a night high school and a daytime SOAR program in which students can earn high school credits at an accelerated rate. The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program promotes college awareness and college prep, and the AIMS program addresses the needs of elementary gifted and talented students.

Alief is the most ethnically diverse of school districts of comparable size in Texas. Virtually every culture of the modern world is represented in its 45,000 plus student enrollment; more than 60 languages and dialects are spoken. A variety of guest speakers, culture clubs, and ethnic fairs help promote a multicultural appreciation.

Alief ISD’s has 41 campuses and employs a full-time police department to help maintain a safe environment for students and staff. The community and the district have steadily continued to grow. The twenty-fourth elementary campus opened in August of 2007; the sixth intermediate, in 2003; and the fourth high school, in 2001, and the Alief Early College High School, a partnership program between Alief ISD and Houston Community College, began in the fall of 2009. There are also two ninth-grade centers, six middle schools, a night high school and an alternative learning center currently in the business of educating the children of Alief. Over the past 10 years, the Alief ISD tax rate has decreased more than 35 cents from $1.6995 to $1.34.

To learn more about AISD visit their website – www.aliefisd.net and to see recent news stories of the Alief Early College High School which recently opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony visit the links below.

HBU

The Houston Baptist University is a private, tier one Baptist institution founded in 1960. It is located in Greater Sharpstown and in Chinatown in Houston, Texas near the Southwest Freeway. Houston Baptist College was created by action of the Baptist General Convention of Texas on November 15, 1960 culminating many years of work and study. The aim of the College founders was the establishment of a Christian college of the highest order in the city of Houston that stressed quality of life as well as quality of learning. More than 50 undergraduate majors are offered and pre-professional programs range from Biblical Languages to Nursing. All classes are faculty-taught and more than half the classes have fewer than 20 students. HBU also offers graduate programs in business, Christian counseling, psychology, the liberal arts, and education.

University of Houston

The University of Houston is a major public research and teaching institution, serving more than 36,000 students annually with nearly 300 undergraduate and graduate programs. The University is a group of six public institutions of higher learning in the Houston area. The System comprises four universities and two multi-institution teaching centers that offer degrees in partnership with the universities. The University of Houston is the largest and most comprehensive institution of the System. Credits transfer easily from one to another, and students move freely from one campus’ library to another. Each institution within the System has a distinct mission; together, the institutions’ missions and programs complement and support one another. To learn more visit www.uh.edu and their event calendar www.uh.edu/news-events/calendars.

HCC

Houston Community College-Southwest Campus is located 2811 Hayes Road. HCC offers a comprehensive selection of all traditional academic courses needed to complete an Associate’s Degree and to complete for transfer the core curriculum required for all four-year public universities in Texas. The campus also offers dual credit and students who wish to take a Dual Credit class should consult with their high school counselor. HCC will provide detailed Dual Credit Guidelines to prospective Dual Credit students through their high schools prior to each semester. The guidelines will contain information about applying for admission to the college, establishing eligibility for college-level classes, enrolling in classes, and paying for the classes.