Today marks the start date of Cobb’s new superintendent Michael Hinojosa, but it could also signal a turning point for Georgia’s second-largest school district.
Hinojosa, who is closing out a six-year term as head of the 158,000-student Dallas Independent School District, was recruited to Cobb largely for his track record of improving test scores for poor and minority students. Cobb has a growing academic divide between students in the southern and eastern parts of the county, which some say hasn’t been adequately addressed.
A similar story is playing out across the metro area as suburban school districts grapple with how to meet the needs of an evolving student population. And for some, Hinojosa’s selection is a symbol of the growing recognition that Cobb is changing and continued success will depend on the improvement of all students.
“Cobb is becoming a more urban county. There is an achievement gap,” said Kerwin Swint, a Cobb parent and political science professor at Kennesaw State University. “From a system’s point of view, you’ve got to right the ship and they believe Hinojosa can help them do that.”
Cobb is home to some of the most sought-after public schools in the state. Four of the district’s high schools ranked in the Top 10 for highest average 2010 SAT scores in metro Atlanta. But seven of the nine Cobb schools that didn’t meet state testing benchmarks in 2010 were in the southern half of the county. The other two were in the far north end. Schools in the southern part of the county typically are more racially diverse and have a higher enrollment of poor students.
As is the case nationally, there’s a gap in Cobb between how students of different races and economic classes perform on standardized tests. Black students trail other racial groups on the SAT and their scores have declined since 2006 while the scores of white students have increased. Hispanic students are less likely to graduate than their peers. Economically disadvantaged students of all races were more likely to fail the Georgia High School Graduation test.
Hinojosa stood out as a top candidate because of his experience and success working in large, urban districts, said board chair Alison Bartlett.
“We have some schools that are phenomenally achieving, and we want them to achieve higher. At the same time, we have schools that are not where they should be. The gap is getting bigger.”
During Hinojosa’s tenure in Dallas, scores for all students increased on state standardized tests, and the district received national attention for reform efforts. But Hinojosa’s tactics have drawn some criticism from members of Dallas’ black community who believe a disproportionate amount of resources have gone to Hispanic students. Academically, the gap between the two groups has widened in every category on state standardized tests since Hinojosa took over.
“The African-American students seem to have been forgotten,” said Joyce Foreman, a longtime school volunteer. “I think all students should be educated. But I don’t think you should educate one group at the expense of another.”
Hinojosa said the Dallas district formed a task force and used stimulus dollars to support programs to improve test scores for black students. It’s too soon to tell if the efforts are working, he said.
“We’ve had more success with one group than another, that’s why we had to recalibrate,” he said.
Hinojosa says he won’t know what changes are needed in Cobb until he gets an assessment of the district’s needs.
Ron Holmes, parent of a Pope High student, said he’s skeptical that change will come for the better.
“I have no confidence that any organization full of educators is going to be able to put together a program that doesn’t shortchange the high achievers by putting the resources into underachieving schools,” he said.
Neighboring Gwinnett County Schools, the state’s largest school district, has managed to meet the needs of students at both ends of the achievement spectrum. Gwinnett was recognized this year as the top urban school district in the country for its success in closing the achievement gap. More than a decade ago, district leaders spotted the country’s changing demographics and predicted how this would affect schools.
Louise Radloff, who has been on the school board for almost 40 years and represents the most diverse and high-poverty portion of Gwinnett County, said when the district started breaking down the data more then 10 years ago, it realized it needed to think strategically about how to address the needs of this new demographic. It also realized the bigger implications for the county.
“If we don’t provide well-qualified kids coming out of our schools, that’s going to impact the employment and businesses coming into this district,” she said.
In recent years, Cobb has had some success. The graduation rate for all students has improved since 2005-06, with Hispanic students showing the greatest gains — from 55 percent completion to 77 percent. Students of all races are also more likely to take Advanced Placement courses.
South Cobb board member David Morgan said Hinojosa has a good reputation for embracing education reforms such as Teach for America.
“I think Dr. Hinojosa is a man who is a champion for children regardless of ethnicity,” said Morgan, who has consistently raised concerns about Cobb’s achievement gap.
Hinojosa will also have to make sure Cobb’s top schools maintain their academic aptitude.
The whole county will benefit if test scores improve for lower-performing students, said Lassiter High School parent Karen Guzman.
“I am sitting in east Cobb, I am sitting in a place of privilege, so I don’t feel I have as much on the line,” she said. “The system that is in place seems to be functioning well for my end of the county, so it feels like the stakes are higher for folks in other parts of the county where there are lags in performance. It certainly is an opportunity for someone to ask the tough questions.”
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A look at two school systems
Dallas Independent School District
Enrollment: about 158,000
Operating budget: $1.2 billion
Employees: 21,000
Number of schools: 225
Student ethnic makeup: 68.4 percent Hispanic; 25 percent black; 4.5 percent white; 1.1 percent Asian
Students on free or reduced lunch: 88 percent
Cobb County Schools
Enrollment: 106,700
Budget: $831.6 million
Employees: 14,027
Number of schools: 114
Student ethnic makeup: 44.5 percent white; 31.2 percent black; 16.5 percent Hispanic; 4.8 percent Asian; 2.7 percent multiracial; less than 1 percent American Indian
Students on free or reduced lunch: 43 percent
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