Dallas County Schools--public and private

Interesting “snippets” from The COMMIT! Partnership’s annual report, “Our Kids.  Our Tomorrow.”

·         750,000 students served by COMMIT!

·         Coalition of 160 different institutions with a “vested stake” in Dallas     County’s educational outcomes.

·         Between 1980 and 2010, poverty increased by 242% in Dallas County neighborhoods.

·         Dallas has 3^rd highest childhood poverty rate in U. S. (38%), behind Detroit (59%) and Memphis (44%). 

·         Dallas County’s job growth lags behind surrounding counties.  Between 2000 and 2012, jobs increased in Denton County (+63%), Collin County (+71%), Rockwall County (+89%), Kaufman County (+4%), Ellis County (+21%), Tarrant County (+10).  In Dallas County jobs fell (-13%).

·         By not increasing each student’s level of attainment, our region loses $6.9 billion in lifetime earnings for every cohort of about 30,000 students entering the K-12 system annually.

 

·         Hispanic and African American students lag woefully behind white students in Dallas County in every measured category:  in 2014, only 345 black students graduated “college ready.” Fewer than half as many economically disadvantaged students graduated college ready as more affluent students (1,128 compared to 2,600). 

·         56% of eligible students are not enrolled in Pre-K or Head Start. 

·         36% of students in Dallas County are reading on grade level by 3^rd grade. 

·         $33 million is left on the table in Dallas County in student financial support/services. 

·         Teacher supply is declining by 4% annually, while student population is growing at 1% each year. 

·         While there are examples of high-poverty schools doing well or better, poverty remains a key driver in low performance.  

More clear and compelling evidence that we must attack poverty and its associated stresses on children and families.  And, NOW!

Fun and games: highlights from the first season

Watching grandchildren do whatever it is they choose to do is one of the great, amazing blessings of being a grandparent.  If one of my four grandchildren is anywhere, doing anything and I can get there--or, am allowed to be present!--I am there!

What follows in the video is a highlight reel from Wyatt's first season to play tackle football.  You'll see him as #20 for the purple and gold Vikings.  He's a great blocker, really steady on defense in the secondary or sometimes at linebacker, a hard driving runner at fullback (at times you'll note a pile of boys moving down the field at about 5 yards at a whack--usually Wyatt is under that file with the ball!), and, on several occasions this year, he breaks with the ball for long runs to the end zone.

I'll admit it is hard to determine who is doing what on parts of the video.  Maybe it takes a granddad's eyes to catch it all.  Watching helps me remember the fun of this season.  At the same time, it causes me to remember and anticipate basketball (Wyatt and Owen), volleyball (Gracie), dance (Gracie), soccer (Wyatt, Owen and soon Henry), grandparent days and lots of other school related events! 

Nothing better!

Enjoy!



Hill Sawyers

My family tree, back three or four genera-tions, and I am sure much further, is populated by extremely poor dirt farmers.  My grandparents and parents worked as sharecroppers for much of their lives.  West Texas is where the family rooted for a long, long time.

Recently, my cousin brought me this photo of my grandfather, Hill Sawyers.  Taken in the mid to late 1920s out in Stonewall County near Old Glory, Granddad worked farm land to provide a meager existence for his family that included my mother. 

Our family emerged from the deep poverty of its past thanks to a combination of white privilege; various forms of government assistance, including help with education, tax policy, health care and homeownership; and hard work.  Not rich today by any means, all of us who survive are doing much, much better than Granddad and Grandmother. 

Hill Sawyers was a special person in my life. 

He took me all over the canyons and "breaks" back of his old clapboard house on many memorable occasions.  I remember how much I loved to make the trip to "West Texas." I remember being fascinated by his high-top, lace-up shoes, so soft and worn, much like his well-worn overalls.  He chewed Brown Mule tobacco by the plug.  He covered his toothless mouth with his arthritic hand when he laughed out loud.  He was a character. 

I loved the old man.

He loved me.

Recalling just now an old Randy Travis song, I guess I did think that he walked on water. 

To hear Randy Travis' song about a man like Hill Sawyers, He Walked on Water, click here.

Or, watch this rather rough video of Travis performing the song. 

An old entry in my journal: tough resignation and acceptance

Last week as I sorted through my books, my old files and other office junk deciding what to keep, what to toss and what to pass on to others, I came upon an old journal.  Actually, it was a cheap composition notebook, the black and white, marbled covered variety. 

The notebook contained only one entry.  Not sure how it ended up on the shelf, put away as if nothing else could be written on its pages. 

Here's what I wrote on November 30, 1995:

Day before yesterday, I transported 5 "Christmas Store" employees to Randy Mayeux's offices to help him move to a new building.  The four women who crammed themselves into the back seat warmed up about 1/2 way over and began to talk about life and the weather (it was amazing!) and most importantly, their kids and grandkids. 

One of the women was 29.  She had 7 children, the oldest 11, the youngest 2.  She commented to us in a very routine manner that she always kept her children in  the house after school.  "They know to come in, get a snack, get their baths and watch TV." 

Her reason for the tight regime:  too much violence in the Dixon Circle area. 

"Last night a gal was murdered on our parking lot," she commented without much emotion, expecting no real response. 

The others in the car responded with similar stories, but as if such was an accepted, expected part of life in their part of the city.  I've witnessed this attitude before in Oak Cliff at Gladewater Rd.  It is a survivor's mentality & I expect about the only way to make it through. 

But in each person there was a strength & a resilience to keep going and to provide good things for the children.  I was amazed again at the nobility and power of the heart of these folk.  I'm not sure what the "solution" is. 

Later that day, I met with [one of our big supporters].  When I told him of the situation with the family, he said, "Is there  any way we can get her out of there?"  Again, his heart was so right, but his thinking was not fully aware.  The solution is not to remove people from the places of danger, but to transform the place[s].  To remove that mother would be to significantly diminish the quality of the neighborhood.  We have much to do here.

Speaking of generations. . .

During days of rest and inactivity, like today, my mind and heart grow clear and turn to my family. Sweet, sweet reality that keeps me going.

Can't find a way to resist sharing this recent photo of my little gang of "joy agents."

Nutrition and children

Back to school time puts lots of great kids on our streets here in inner city Dallas. I love watching them and watching out for them as I go to work or as I drive during the day when they are returning home.

This morning I saw a little boy around 5-years-old who caused me concern.

He trailed along behind a woman, I assume his mother. In one hand he carried a small bag of chips. In the other, a can of soda. It was about 8:00 a.m. I assume what I saw in his hands was his breakfast for the day. I hope not, but I'm almost certain it was his first "meal" of the day.

Nutrition drives health, both short and long term. Nutrition plays a large role in determining wellness outcomes of a person's lifetime.

Food has always been a huge part of what we do here at Central Dallas Ministries (CDM), and for good reason. Everything here is about health and wellness outcomes.

But, nutrition, or the lack thereof, is a growing problem/challenge for us.

CDM contracts with the Texas Department of Agriculture to provide summer and after school lunches and snacks to children living in low-income households here in Dallas, as well as in Austin this past summer.

Our program, we call it Nurture, Knowledge and Nutrition, has grown dramatically for us.

For example, in 2008, CDM served 239,041 meals from January through June.

This year over the same period we have served 298,117 meals.

The figure for 2009 does not include over 50,000 additional meals, including breakfast meals, that we served in our new partnership with PepsiCo/Frito-Lay here in Dallas.

Improving nutrition for inner city families is a huge part of what we do here.

The little boy I saw this morning reminded me of just how crucial this work really is.
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A little boy, a mom and the first day back

I'll admit it.

I'm a sentimental fool when it comes to children and the markers in life.

So, this morning on my way to the office I pass a little boy, he looked to be about six-years-old. He was holding his mother's hand as they walked toward our neighborhood school for the first day of classes in this new school year.

For some reason seeing that little guy made me think of all of the other children, young and older who'll make a similar trek this morning.

Of course, I thought of my own grandchildren as my eyes called in a tear or two. All three of them will go back to school today.

I remembered the many "first day of school" days I experienced with my own daughters.

It's an exciting time. A good time. A nerve-wracking time.

It's not easy being a child today.

I offered up a simple prayer as I drove past that little fellow and his hopeful mom. It was a prayer for every child on this first day of a new school year. A prayer for mercy, hope, opportunity, courage, fairness and safety.

Our children are treasures, every single one of them.

I'll be thinking of him, my own grandchildren and all of them today.

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