Going Door-to-Door

Harry Everett is the co-director of student services for the Richardson Independent School District. He has been going door-to-door to verify students’ addresses. With many foreclosures, parents have been lying about their child's address to keep them enrolled in the RISD district. Many parents feel that particular school district is more superior to the school district that they should enroll their child in because of their true residential address. Everett has even discovered addresses that lead him to local dry cleaners because that is where the parents work. This deception can keep students who legally live in the district from attending an RISD school. The district does make exceptions for students living with relatives or a guardian, but they must complete an affidavit explaining the reason for the living arrangement. Last year, the district received 3,300 affidavits. Everett also makes house calls for excessive absences, to make sure students are where they are supposed to be.

I think this interaction is absolutely needed. The more involved faculty and staff are, the better the success rate for their students. Everett's intention is to get them in school and keep them there, not to run them out. Private schools have such high success rates because the faculty gets involved with the students and their parents. They know everything about families and their circumstances. A friend of mine works for a high school in AISD, and she was shocked at the negative attention that she got from parents when she would try to contact them about their failing child. Sadly, they didn't want to be bothered. I think the grade average of Texas K12 students could be raised if the school faculty and the students’ parents would take more initiative and interest in each of their students/children. I think teachers need more of an initiative to care about each of their students. If teachers were given somewhat of a bonus if none of their students dropped out or failed, I think more Texas teachers would have the same approach of Everett. I feel the more care for their students the higher the success rates for Texas schools. Everyone should be more accountable. Every teacher should want all of their students in class, learning, and wanting to make a difference in their futures. Every parent should want the same educational success for their child, as it leads to achievement and success as adults. If all Texas schools take the interactive approach, I don't see why parents would continue to lie about their child's address in order to keep them in the more prestigious school.