School Profile 2005-2006

In 2005, Carnegie Vanguard High School was ranked 7th in a report on the best Texas High Schools by the Texas Education Excellence Project for Texas A&M University. This is a significant achievement for a school that has been an independent, all-Magnet school only since the 2002-2003 school year. It was formerly a Magnet program within a comprehensive high school with Gifted and Talented education as the Magnet focus. It is the only Vanguard high school, and as such, draws students from all over the Houston metropolitan area. The student body is diverse; of the 313 students in the 2005-2006 school year, 136 are white, 85 are African-American, 82 are Hispanic, and 10 are Asian, making the school population majority-minority.

Incoming 9th graders are actively recruited from all HISD middle schools. In order to qualify, students submit a Vanguard application, 7 th grade Stanford and TAKS scores, and 7th grade report card, which are scored on a matrix according to state and district guidelines. Students may also transfer directly from a Vanguard middle school program. Upper-classmen wishing to transfer to Carnegie follow a similar process. For the 2005-2006 school year, the 6 major feeder schools were Lanier, TH Rogers, Johnston, Pin Oak, Rice, and Pershing.

Carnegie received 533 applications for the 2005-2006 school year with a diverse group of 375 students qualifying for acceptance. One hundred and thirteen new students enrolled, representing a 25 percent increase in the student population. The continued growth of the school is evidence of the value the community places on the Vanguard Gifted and Talented Program within HISD’s Magnet schools.

Carnegie Vanguard has a student-centered, nurturing school culture. It is located on an old elementary school campus, where all classrooms open onto a grassy common area. The campus, therefore, has a much less institutional character than a typical urban high school. There are no locker-lined halls; students use the campus much like a college common area. A 50-minute common lunch period allows faculty and students to hold tutorial sessions and numerous club meetings and sports activities in the middle of the school day, since most students rely on HISD buses for transportation. It also gives students and teachers time to interact in a relaxed atmosphere; teachers usually remain in their classrooms at lunch, available to students. The school culture is recognized and prized by students and staff. It is also easily perceived by visitors when they spend time on campus.

Carnegie provides a unique program in that the entire student population has been identified as Gifted and Talented, and the faculty is trained in the particular nature and needs, assessment, and evaluation of Gifted and Talented students. Training also extends to student-centered, creative learning strategies. Small class sizes, accelerated curriculum, independent study opportunities, and over twenty Pre-AP and AP elective courses encourage high student achievement and intellectual curiosity.

The student teacher ratio is 18:1. The administration and the faculty are made up of educators who are trained in Gifted and Talented education and who have depth of knowledge in their content areas. Of the 17 members of the faculty, five have doctoral degrees and four have master’s degrees. During the summer of 2004, 40% of the faculty attended Rice University’s AP Institute. As a whole, the faculty holds certifications for 16 AP courses, with several teachers certified in multiple AP subjects.

Horizontal and vertical teacher teaming, anchored in CLEAR, TAKS, and AP curriculum, enable teachers to build a coherent and integrated sequence of courses. At Carnegie, the academic courses emphasize creativity and cross- curricular connections. Enrichment activities such as museum and performance field trips also stress cross-curricular, integrated knowledge. Each grade level participates in a core course field trip with cross-curricular ties between elective and core subjects. In addition, each year, international trips are organized by members of the faculty and provide further enrichment for students.

Students follow a liberal arts four-year plan of Pre-AP and AP core courses with a wide variety of Pre-AP, AP, and regular electives. All ninth graders and tenth graders take Pre-AP core courses. All 11th graders are required to take AP English and Social Studies and Pre-AP Science, Math, and Foreign Language courses. Students in the 12 th grade are required to take AP English and Social Studies courses. They may take AP Biology, Environmental Science, Spanish, French, Calculus, Statistics, and other AP electives. Therefore, the Advanced Placement program is at the heart of Carnegie’s curriculum.

The Carnegie partnership of students, teachers, and parents is focused on improving student achievement as measured by increased numbers of students sitting for and passing AP exams, improved TAKS and SAT scores, and increased participation of Carnegie students in academic and extracurricular competition. In the 2004-2005 school year, Carnegie students had an 1199 average SAT score; the national average was 1028. Twenty-two students were designated by the College Board as AP Scholars in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP exams. Six students were Commended National Merit Scholars. Carnegie Vanguard also had a National Achievement Scholar and a National Hispanic Scholar.

Carnegie students attend universities and colleges throughout the U.S. The college application process is facilitated by the counseling office, the English department, and the faculty who provide guidance and college recommendations. Of the 2005 graduating class, 100% entered college.

Carnegie is fortunate to have the partnership of a diverse student body, a focused and professional administration and faculty, and a dedicated and pro-active PTO. Since Carnegie is not a neighborhood school, interaction with the community involves most of the Houston area. Although widespread, the PTO is extremely effective, supportive, and responsive. They have assisted with enrichment activities, recruitment, and special projects such as improving the school library and grounds. In 2003, 2004, and 2005, the PTO subsidized student AP exam costs, increasing the number of minority students sitting for the exam and illustrating the commitment of Carnegie parents to a strong AP program.