When dealing with enrollment growth, the No. 1 priority as a district is the protection of classroom sizes. Because of the deep cuts made to public education by our Legislature this last session -- more than $9 million for MISD -- we already knew our class sizes would be rising. Out of more than 130 positions that were dissolved this summer during our budget process because of the revenue cuts, roughly 80 were teaching positions. I already have given the OK to re-establish 20 teaching positions -- all at the elementary level -- to deal with this increased student enrollment. These 20 positions will place a $1.3 million impact on our budget, but I feel the academic needs of protecting classroom sizes far outweigh the financial burden. We either will maintain a balanced budget by finding cuts elsewhere throughout the school year, or I will recommend to the MISD Board of Trustees to pass a budget amendment in order to use the district's fund balance.

Read more: Exciting times at MISD include the need to hire 20 additional teachers - Mywesttexas.com: Education http://www.mywesttexas.com/life/education/article_689359a4-74c0-570a-99cf-853c5bc33c92.html#ixzz1hrfisdJd 
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When serving as superintendent at Marble Falls ISD, Warren said he reconfigured elementary school campuses and saw state scores improve almost immediately.

Read more: Warren looks toward reconfiguration recommendations, new state tests - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_6068dd57-2864-5b5f-980a-9d2bae7439a2.html#ixzz1hrgMSxbl 
 

Reconfiguration will require fewer transitions and give students the best opportunity for academic success, Warren said.

Read more: MISD plans to 'change the way we educate kids' - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_c5f3fa3d-afc9-5dc2-9d2d-dbbf8683de1a.html#ixzz1hre6seWs 
 

With the goal of providing students with a 21st century education, Warren said the district needs to offer better technology and career preparation programs.

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Because Texas' curriculum is bundled based on traditional campus configuration, Warren said it's better for students and teachers when grade levels can be organized in that same manner.

For example, he said sixth-grade teachers are using a curriculum that correlates directly with what students will learn in seventh and eighth grades. Because of the building setup in Midland, they're never talking to those seventh- and eighth-grade teachers. The same is true for ninth-grade teachers, he said.

Warren said the ability for communication between the appropriate grade-level teachers will become even more important in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) era because the tests measure a student's present and future achievement.

"Let's do this to get more focus academically," he said.

Read more: Warren looks toward reconfiguration recommendations, new state tests - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_6068dd57-2864-5b5f-980a-9d2bae7439a2.html#ixzz1hrgZGQsb 
 

Midland ISD Superintendent Ryder Warren said he plans to make his recommendation for a "historic building project" public within the next month.

"I'm going to ask this community to totally let us change the way we serve children here and that's through reconfiguration," Warren said.

Though it will be a "big ticket item" to get students in schools configured the same way state curriculum is written, Warren said it's necessary.

Read more: MISD wants 'historic building project' - Mywesttexas.com: Top Storieshttp://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_21b9aa98-7d55-588b-b4e9-0b80f7f8c5c0.html#ixzz1hreiI5yR 
 

"It's going to cost money" to make room for the additional 1,600 students on the high school campuses and to convert the four existing junior highs and freshman campuses to middle schools, Warren said.

Read more: MISD wants 'historic building project' - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_21b9aa98-7d55-588b-b4e9-0b80f7f8c5c0.html#ixzz1hreqcREQ 
 

The letter also mentioned the district has hired 20 new teachers since school started because of unexpected student enrollment, which is more than 22,500 students.

Read more: MISD wants 'historic building project' - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_21b9aa98-7d55-588b-b4e9-0b80f7f8c5c0.html#ixzz1hrfAP3f5 
 

If anyone has questions about the issues in this article, or about anything else, please do not hesitate to contact me at our central office (689-1002), or email me at ryder.warren@midlandisd.net. Thank you for supporting our schools and our children.

Read more: Exciting times at MISD include the need to hire 20 additional teachers - Mywesttexas.com: Education http://www.mywesttexas.com/life/education/article_689359a4-74c0-570a-99cf-853c5bc33c92.html#ixzz1hrftSAjW  

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