The Rice School

Planning Joan Raymond, then the superintendent of HISD, envisioned The Rice School as a way to relieve overcrowding at West University Elementary School, to stem the decrease of White and affluent students, and to gap the performance division between affluent White students and low income minority students. The Rice School was originally planned as a regular zoned school with an attendance boundary. In 1989, as "Operation Renewal," a school construction program, progressed, Raymond thought about how to lure West University Elementary School-zoned parents away from West University Elementary; she decided that a partnership with Rice University would allow this to happen. Rice's education department had no experience teaching younger students, so the laboratory school was made into a K-8. Tim Fleck of the Houston Press stated that the Rice University label "sold like Lacoste." The district planned to find a site for the school; plans to put the school on Brompton Road failed, and an attempt to buy land at Bissonnet Street at Newcastle Drive in the City of Bellaire failed since City of Bellaire officials and parents living in Bellaire complained when they learned that they would not be zoned to the new school while losing what Fleck described as "a prime chunk of taxable property." Fleck said that The Rice School's concept "mushroomed into an incredibly complex educational experiment that aspired to be all things to all parties with an interest in its success." In 1997 McAdams retrospectively said "there were high expectations -- admittedly unreasonable expectations." About 1,280 students from Kindergarten through 6th grade were enrolled when the school opened. Over 7,169 students applied for 1,275 slots, and half of the students previously attended overcrowded schools in the West University Place area. Fewer than 15 students who were offered admission declined the offer. Many teachers at Rice came from other Houston ISD schools. The elementary school grades had about 50% White Americans, and 25% each Hispanic Americans and Black Americans. The middle school grades had about 33% each of White, Black, and Hispanic students. Of all Rice students, 11% were Asian Americans. The students lived all across the City of Houston. Initially the school organized students from Kindergarten through 2nd grade into one cluster, 3rd through 5th grades in another cluster, and the middle school grades in another cluster. According to McAdams, many parties felt unsatisfied by the outcome of the student placement lottery. McAdams wrote that the controversies over placements dissipated after the school opened. In June 1997 Koonce was removed as principal, and Sandra Satterwhite took her position at that time. According to Fleck, "many Rice School parents turned against her because she had not found a way to enforce consistency on the quality of teaching at the school." In 1997 the district negotiated with Rice University to strengthen the partnership. In 2014 Rice had about 1,150 students, over the school's official capacity. As of 2015 it was being used to house excess students from Roberts, Twain, and West University elementary schools, which were all at capacity. ==Concept==

The school opened with a partnership with Rice University. Since its opening the school has dual language instruction; all students learn in English and Spanish. When the school first opened, mathematics was used as a link to thread the curriculum throughout the various studies. The school had classes mixing multiple grades where students of different grades worked with one another. When the school opened it had the latest in computer technology. Classrooms were grouped in clusters, with each cluster having five classrooms. The school's full name, "The Rice School / La Escuela Rice," is bilingual. As of the 1994 opening, every sign within the school is in English and Spanish. ==Facility==

It is located on at the corner of Kirby Drive and North Braeswood Boulevard, The construction cost was $11 million. This two story, building was designed to facilitate the school's learning cluster model. An interior skylit plaza connects various areas of the school's. The administration area and the teacher resource center are connected to one another. In 1997 Fleck wrote "In contrast to the rigidly institutionalized, boxed-in layout of most HISD schools, the Rice School is a marvel of light and space, projecting a sense of openness and possibility." Palm trees are located next to the school sidewalks. The school library is called a "Learning Arcade." Fleck stated that the library is the centerpiece of the building. The school walls have pastel colors. The school building has an official capacity of 1,056 students. ==Admissions==

When the school first opened, it had about 1,200 slots. ==Student body==

Around 2009, the school typically has about 680 elementary school students and 470 middle school students. As of 2007, 90% of the students at Rice are racial and ethnic minorities (racial groups other than non-Hispanic white), and 60% are classified as low income students. For most of the school day, middle school students are separated from elementary school students. When middle schoolers interact with elementary schoolers, middle schoolers are placed in mentorship positions over elementary school students. When the school first opened in 1994, 50% of the students were White, 25% were Hispanic, and 25% were Black. At the time 72 children of Rice University employees attended the school. In 1996 the students were about 37% White, 33% Black, 27% Hispanic, and 3% Asian. ==School uniforms==

Rice requires school uniforms for all of its students. The requirement has been in place since its founding. According to Nancy Ross, a former Rice School parent quoted in the Houston Press, originally the uniforms were to be white T-shirts and blue jeans. Ross said that, at social functions, she overheard wealthier parents express a preference for polo shirts and khakis similar to those worn by students of the St. John's School, a private school. Tim Fleck of the Houston Press said that this was an example of wealthier parents getting to "set the agenda" at Rice. The uniform, decided by parents and students, ultimately consisted of khaki trousers, shorts, and skirts and red, white, and blue polo shirts. The school's first fundraiser was a uniform assistance fund aimed at raising uniform money for 150 families. Tops consist of red, white, or navy shirts with the school insignia. Trousers, shorts, and skirts must be khaki. ==References==