April 2019
Leslie & Scott Milder
Co-Founders
Friends of Texas 
Public Schools
Est. 2004
CORPORATE PARTNERS
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DK Haney Roofing is a certified TIPS and TXMAS vendor dedicated to helping schools get roofing projects done. Schools have been our specialty for 23 years, so we can help you navigate insurance claims and board approvals. Our state-of-the-art roof management portal provides instant access to all your roofs and reports. Call 866-379-4846. 
ADVERTISE WITH FRIENDS 

With more than a million hits annually on our website and nearly 70,000 e-news subscribers, we are pleased to offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities available to organizations wishing to reach school leaders across Texas who support Friends of Texas Public Schools. 

For information on getting your organization's message out to Friends of Texas Public Schools followers and readers, please email Jennifer Storm.  

Texas economically disadvantaged population has highest graduation rate in US when compared to peers

The Texas economically disadvantaged student population, which amounts to 60% of total statewide enrollment in our public schools, has the highest graduation rate in America at 85.6% when compared to the the economically disadvantaged student populations in every other state. Great things are happening in Texas Public Schools!


Dear Friends,
 
As we enter the heart of "Testing Season," the reputations of our local neighborhood public schools can be damaged or  e nhanced based on a grade compiled from results of a state controlled test.  This is the time we must work extra hard to support and tell the story of all the great things happening on each of these campuses. 
 
In the Raise Your Hand Texas Public Perception Poll (published Jan. 2019), 71.6% of those polled oppose standardized testing like STAAR as a measure of accountability for our public schools. Many school districts are involved in a more holistic approach through a community-based form of accountability. Friends of Texas Public Schools agrees there is more to the accomplishments of a school district than a single letter grade based on a student's ability to score on a test. Each neighborhood school MUST communicate all the great things happening through all forms of media, and most importantly, personal testimonies of informed business and community leaders.
 
Great things ARE happening in our neighborhood public schools and WE MUST continue to tell our story! 

Thank you,

Blake W. Cooper
Executive Director
Friends of Texas Public Schools

p.s. Create a Culture of Voting by voting in every election!  Early voting is April 22 - 30 and Election Day is May 4th. 

We know districts are limited on resources and time, and therefore we're working with partners to determine how we can help you market all the great things you do and to equip you with tools to make it easier on your staff.  This 6 question, less than 10 minute survey will help us understand priorities and interest. Our goal is to serve your district in helping to promote and engage the community about
your schools.  Please click on this link  here   for the survey. 
Thanks for all you do!
CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Powell, Youngblood & Taylor, LLP is a leader in comprehensive education law, and is comprised of attorneys and counselors dedicated to the mission of serving Texas Public Schools. With offices in five cities across Texas - Austin, Houston, Dallas, Tyler, and Corpus Christi - Powell, Youngblood & Taylor is available to serve public schools in any capacity. At any given night of the week, you can find our attorneys and experts fanned out across the Lone Star State working face-to-face with the administrators, boards, and public  servants who rely on our expertise to provide assistance with whatever challenge they may face. Our team serves the legal needs of more than 200 public school districts, community colleges, associations, and public entities; and our clients are as diverse as the state we serve with our clients ranging from the smallest to the largest schools in the nation. As Powell, Youngblood & Taylor continues to grow in order to serve our clients better, our core mission remains the same - to provide trusted counsel and exceptional service with a deep-seated respect for educators and their life's work. Learn more about Powell, Youngblood & Tayor, LLP here. 
 
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR FRIEND OF THE YEAR AWARD

You are invited to nominate honorees for consideration by the Friends of Texas Public Schools board for the Friend of the Year Award to be presented at our annual Friend of the Year Gala on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 in Waco. Deadline is April 31, 2019.

The Friend of the Year Award was established to honor those rare individuals from the private sector and organizations who step up as champions for those who learn and work in our schools. Honorees clearly see beyond the sensational headlines and often negative politics and understand that the success of Texas public education is everyone's business.   

Thank you to our Affiliate Partners!
Belfor - Cornerstone - Government Capital - Pfluger Architects -  Powell & Leon - Right at School -  Symmetry  Turf - Texas Association of School Business Officals (TASBO)  - Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA) - Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) - TransCend4
Share Great Stories

We know that great things are happening every day on the campuses of our neighborhood public schools. Please send your district's stories to us and we will share on our social media.

 

OUR MISSION
To facilitate respectful conversations about Texas public schools through honest communication, productive dialogue, and relentless encouragement.