Home to some of the largest and most highly rated public school districts in Texas and the U.S., Montgomery County offers its residents an impressive array of high quality educational opportunities. Higher education is another strength.
Along with beautiful lakes, forests and a thriving economy, Montgomery County offers excellent educational opportunities. There is a variety of highly regarded public school districts, ranging from small-town gems to some of the largest in the Houston area. The region also has a wide range of private and parochial schools, along with a growing list of opportunities for higher education.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT TESTING: STAAR
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) measures a child’s performance, as well as academic growth, college and career readiness. Results from STAAR calculate annual school and district performance ratings. Annual Assessments cover: reading and mathematics, grades 3-8; writing at grades 4 and 7; science at grades 5 and 8; social studies at grade 8; and end-of-course assessments for English 1, English 11, Algebra 1, biology, and U.S. history. All of the districts in Montgomery County met approved standards in 2016.
For more information and complete district and individual school information, visit the Texas Education Association at www.tea.texas.gov.
STEM EDUCATION
STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math education, is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with hands-on, problem-based learning.
According to a recent poll of U.S. CEOs, employers will need 1.6 million new STEM employees by 2019. In 2013, the average STEM occupation paid about $80,000 annually; roughly 1.7 times the average yearly U.S. wage.
The Texas science, technology, engineering and mathematics (T-STEM) initiative provides a foundational approach to empower teachers, inspire students and advance STEM education. There are 70 T-STEM Academies and seven blended Early College High School/T-STEM Academies serving more than 40,000 students across the state.
TEXAS CHARTER SCHOOLS
Charter schools were authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to provide an alternative to traditional public schools. Open-enrollment charter schools are public schools that have the flexibility to adapt to the educational needs of individual students.
Charter schools provide a personalized learning environment that promotes greater student achievement.
In the State of Texas, charter schools operate under and receive academic accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency. All charter students in Texas take the same STAAR test as traditional public school students. Charter schools receive state funds based on the average daily attendance of students (same as traditional public schools); however, they do not receive funds from local tax revenue.
