Most suppliers are small, Texas-based firms, though a handful of national educational publishe publishe national educational publishe finding a lucrative side line in selling their successful preparatory strategies to colleagues. In Houston, principals can be demoted, or even dismissed, if their schools don't maintain or improve scores. Adding to the anxiety, Gov. George W. Bush recently proposed using TAAS scores to determine whether students should be promoted to the next grade level. Schools' TAAS rankings are published in local newspapers and scrutinized by parents. Property values have been known to drop around schools that don't perform up to par.
Schools dip into their general funds to pay for the products, and the costs can add up quickly.
But some teachers, while admitting the prep materials are necessary, feel like they're being forced into a corner by the close scrutiny that TAAS results get. But we don't have any choice but to buy from them. Webb says that's not the case. You have to get your mom or dad to teach you or hire someone. E.W. Scripps Publications , All Rights Reserved.