The Transformation of San Jacinto Elementary
San Jacinto Elementary is located in a low-income area in Amarillo, Texas. Over 95% of the students of San Jacinto are considered economically disadvantaged. The neighborhood is made up primarily of rental property, and many residents own pit bulls as a means of protecting their belongings. The mobility rate for the school is 33%, meaning that every year a third of the students move away, and another third move in. For many years the academic performance of San Jacinto matched the basic expectations of most low socioeconomic schools: test scores in all areas were either near or at the bottom of all Amarillo schools. Yet San Jacinto was known for having very caring teachers, and there was an atmosphere of collegiality. In spite of all of the efforts of the staff of San Jacinto, student performance consistently was low enough to ensure that little hope existed for students to escape a life of poverty.
In 2004-2005 performance scores as measured by Texas assessments revealed that 70% of the students were proficient in Reading, 78% in Writing, 60% in Math, and 40% in Science. These scores consistently kept San Jacinto in danger of being labeled an “academically unacceptable” campus.
There were certainly pockets of excellence that existed at San Jacinto, but these areas were not sustainable from one room to another or from one grade level to the next. There was quite a bit of community support for the students of San Jacinto, but all of it was focused on meeting basic needs: food, clothing, school supplies, etc. A seemingly pervasive attitude existed both inside and outside of San Jacinto that “these students simply have too many problems to even care about learning.”
During the summer of 2007, the principal of San Jacinto and three teachers attended a TurnAround Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona in a search of answers. San Jacinto at this point represented a giant glacier, and while all staff members were working hard, the efforts could be likened to chipping away at this glacier with an ice pick. While at the institute, the staff members were treated to the story of a school which mirrored San Jacinto in so many ways, but was achieving marked success. Los Penasquitos Elementary and San Jacinto appeared to be twins. As the San Jacinto staff members heard about the “Culture of Universal Achievement”, “Exceptional Systems”, and the emphasis on college, one teacher turned to another and stated, “We would have just been elated if our kids made it to high school.” Obviously the standards of San Jacinto were much too low.
On the first day back of the new school year for all staff members, these three teachers presented what they saw and heard at the institute to the entire staff of San Jacinto. The principal instructed all staff members to go to lunch and just consider if they wanted to pursue becoming a No Excuses University. He did not know what to expect upon their return.
Fully 100% of the staff proclaimed their desire to apply for this status and to adopt the tenets of No Excuses University. At this point the principal challenged the staff to consider the possible ridicule that would come from others when a school known for poor academic results suddenly proclaimed itself to be basically a “college preparatory” school. The overwhelming response was, “Bring it on!”
Since that moment, there has possibly been no greater transformation of a school in America, and certainly no other that has transformed at the speed of San Jacinto. In one year, student academic results skyrocketed: 92% in Reading, 92% in Writing, 95% in Math, and 90% in Science. For the first time in the history of San Jacinto, the school achieved “Recognized” status by the state of Texas. The following year San Jacinto achieved "Exemplary" status, the highest ranking possible in Texas.
The transformation was so great that the community of Amarillo not only noticed but rushed to provide support. San Jacinto was added to an AISD program known as ACE (Achievement through Commitment to Education). In this program, funded by local philanthropists, students who maintain a certain average, attendance, and level of behavior will have their entire college tuition paid for four years if they choose to attend the local two-year college (Amarillo College) and local university (West Texas A&M University). Amarillo College has adopted San Jacinto to the point that college courses and GED opportunities will be offered at San Jacinto to parents. Also, professors from Amarillo College will regularly visit San Jacinto to provide lessons, and students from San Jacinto will be welcome on the campus of Amarillo College to utilize science labs and other types of learning equipment.
Is this transformation sustaining? Even at this time the lower grades of San Jacinto have made academic gains at phenomenal rates (over a 180% gain in the reading levels of Kindergarten students). While San Jacinto is still in its infancy as a No Excuses University, the staff, students, and parents are more committed than ever to seeing that the dream of college and post-secondary education becomes reality.