Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Spring Branch ISD board unanimously votes to extend superintendent’s contract
 

At the Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees monthly workshop meeting on Monday, March 7, trustees voted unanimously to extend Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Blaine’s contract for three years. The new five-year term is the maximum allowed by law and runs through June 30, 2027, with a start date of July 1, 2022.

This decision comes after continued growth academically and narrowed achievement gaps among SBISD students. Together with the Board of Trustees, in 2019, Dr. Blaine established an intense system-wide focus on reading and math to close gaps and ensure the success of Every Child. 

At Monday’s board meeting, an academic performance report showed impressive gains in student achievement over the course of the past two years.

For current fifth graders (who were third graders in 2019), the number of students reading above grade level at the start of the school year has more than doubled. For current fourth graders (who were second graders in 2019), that number has tripled.

In reading and math, middle-of-year MAP® data affirms the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expected progress has improved in most grades this school year.

View the entire middle-of-year data report here.

In January, trustees heard data from the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) which showed the district performed above the region and state in every grade level, at every performance level, and in every content area tested on the 2021 STAAR assessment.

This year, SBISD students also outperformed their peers on the 2021 PSAT™ 8/9 and PSAT/NMSQT® assessments at both the state and national levels.

“We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Blaine’s leadership and dedication to our students, staff, families and community,” Board President Chris Gonzalez said. “Since becoming Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Blaine has brought clarity to the system with an intense focus on literacy, numeracy, career and technical education and the needs of Every Child. As a result, student achievement is trending strongly in the right direction, moving us solidly toward our vision of T-2-4 for Every Child.”

Earlier this year, Dr. Blaine received national recognition as one of only 19 superintendents nationwide selected as a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association.

Often sought after to speak on education panels as a subject matter expert, Dr. Blaine currently:

  • Serves as a long-time member of the Greater Houston Partnership Public Education Committee, joining select leaders of the education and business communities working collaboratively to support public education in the Houston region
  • Is a member of Literacy Champions, a select group of Texas school superintendents identifying issues and advocating for effective literacy instruction for all students
  • Serves on the Educate Texas Teaching and Learning Council, comprised of a select group of Texas public education leaders collaborating on education issues and legislative advocacy

Dr. Blaine has been an educator for more than 31 years in roles including principal, associate superintendent over three different divisions and now, superintendent.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education with a specialization in reading from the University of Iowa, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in educational administration and educational leadership, respectively, both from Sam Houston State University.