| School systems across the country have just a | | | | Saavedra. "It means more students will benefit |
| couple of things on their plate: charter schools, | | | | from the rigor and high expectations of the |
| budgets, magnet schools, pension plans, pre-K and | | | | programs, and it helps in our efforts to create a |
| dropout rates- to name a few. Houston Schools | | | | college-bound culture." The Houston Schools' |
| are no different, and Magnet and Early Childhood | | | | system has 20 Vanguard magnet schools that |
| programs appear to be at the top of the list. | | | | enroll gifted/talented students from all over the |
| The cream of the Houston School system's crop | | | | district. All students may apply to Vanguard |
| are the Gifted and Talented students. Currently, | | | | schools, regardless of their sub districts, of which |
| 25,000 students are identified as gifted and | | | | there are 10. Students who are zoned to a school |
| talented. Beginning next school year ('07-'08), | | | | that is a Vanguard magnet will automatically get |
| students identified as such will all attend | | | | to attend that school; they will no longer have |
| "Vanguard" programs. The programs themselves | | | | their names put into the magnet lottery system. |
| will not change, but the name will consolidate | | | | Another program that Houston Schools Board of |
| programs throughout Houston Schools. Houston | | | | Education and Superintendent Saavedra are |
| Schools identify students for Vanguard programs | | | | committed to expanding is the district's Early |
| by using an "identification matrix". This includes | | | | Childhood programs. Early childhood education has |
| test scores from the Stanford/Aprenza exam | | | | been recognized as extremely important to future |
| and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. | | | | academic success. Houston Schools now offers |
| Report-card points and teacher recommendations | | | | prekindergarten to all students on a tuition basis, |
| are also taken into account. Houston Schools' | | | | and some students can attend for free. To qualify |
| students who have limited English proficiency, are | | | | for free PreK at Houston Schools, a student must |
| enrolled in special education, have low | | | | meet one or more of the following criteria: unable |
| socioeconomic status are also considered. | | | | to speak and comprehend the English language, |
| Vanguard schools are continuously monitored to | | | | economically disadvantaged, homeless, a child of |
| help ensure that high-quality; more-rigorous | | | | an active-duty member of the armed forces, or |
| instruction is provided in all classrooms. Students | | | | a child of an armed-forces member who was |
| are expected to score above grade-level on the | | | | injured, killed, or missing-in-action while serving on |
| Stanford test. In addition, any of Houston Schools' | | | | active duty. Beginning with the '07-'08 school year, |
| high-school students who are enrolled in a | | | | parents may enroll their four-year-old child (who |
| Vanguard school are required to take a minimum | | | | turned four on or before September 1, 2007) in a |
| of two advanced-academic courses (ex: | | | | full-day, 10-month program at participating |
| Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, | | | | Houston Schools for a state-set fee of $405 per |
| or dual-credit). "I am excited about the | | | | month. 16 elementaries in the Houston Schools |
| improvements in the Vanguard programs," said | | | | offer PreK, one of which is also a Montessori |
| Superintendent of Houston Schools Abelardo | | | | magnet. |