High School Completion and Success Initiative Council members appointed by education commissioner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 6th, 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jim Windham, President, Texas Institute for Education Reform

AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Robert Scott today announced the appointment of seven Texans, including former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, to the High School Completion and Success Initiative Council.
The council, created by the Texas Legislature in House Bill 2237, will hold its first meeting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday in the Capitol Extension Auditorium at the Texas Capitol.

The legislation directs the council to improve the effectiveness, coordination and alignment of high school completion, and college and workplace readiness efforts.

The council will offer guidance regarding the development of innovative models for high school improvement and reform, as well as for other targeted intervention designed to improve high school graduation rates, and college and workplace readiness levels.

During this first meeting, the charges for the council will be discussed and members will receive a brief overview of high school completion and success initiatives already under way.

The council is composed of Scott, who chairs it; Raymund Paredes, commissioner of higher education; and seven members appointed from nominations received by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Appointees to the council are:

•      Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education and chairman of Chartwell Education Group, LLC.

•      Christopher Barbic, founder and head of schools for Yes College Preparatory Schools

•      Rosa Maria Vida, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Laredo and the former dean of education at Texas A&M International University

•      Chris Patterson, a public education research and policy consultant

•      James M. Windham, president and director of the Texas Institute for Education Reform

•      Cindy Ramos-Davidson, chief executive officer, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

•      Don McAdams, president, The Center for Reform of School Systems.

Members serve a two-year term of office.

www.texaseducationreform.org