L.V. Berkner High School has the largest enrollment of all four high schools in the district (nearly 3,000 students.) Our educational standards and expectations are high, and we are proud of our record. Since our founding in 1970, L.V. Berkner High School has regularly been recognized for excellence in academics, fine arts and athletics. Our teachers are respected by their students, and have earned state and national recognition from their peers. We want to not only maintain these standards, but to improve upon them. This goal requires us to have a secure source of funding to support academic excellence that cannot be threatened by changing school finance policies.The Need
This year, the RISD must send more than $50,000,000 back to the state as mandated by the current "Robin Hood" system of school finance. This equates to nearly $1,000,000 in lost funds for every school in the district. It also means $1,800 less per student in education funding than the annual state average. These most recent cuts challenge our school's ability to maintain its high standards of academic excellence.
This funding crisis negatively impacts our school in the following ways:
- There is no additional money to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for instruction.
- There is not enough money to purchase curriculum or pay for instructors for leadership, or SAT/ACT college prep courses, all of which would assist our students in attending the college of their choice.
- There is not enough money for teachers to attend professional development courses or conferences that help keep them up-to-date in their fields.
- There is not enough money to pay sponsors to support student participation in extracurricular competitions.
- There is not enough money to provide academic enrichments and experiences that give students opportunities to expand their horizons and set them apart from students at other high schools.
- There is not enough money to award "Grants for Good Ideas" for teachers to use to enhance academics in their classrooms.
- There is not enough money to keep class sizes smaller so that our teachers have more time to work with students on an individual basis.
How You Can Help
Your investment in the Berkner Excellence in Education Fund will allow us to:
- Keep class sizes small so that our teachers have more time to work with students on an individual basis.
- Provide academic enrichment opportunities and experiences that will allow our students to expand their horizons and earn distinction among their peers.
- Provide sponsors to support student participation in extracurricular competitions.
- Allow teachers to attend professional development courses or conferences that enable them to keep current in their respective fields.
- Purchase state-of-the-art equipment for instruction.
The future of academic excellence at L.V. Berkner High School depends on you. Your tax deductible investment in the Berkner Excellence in Education Fund (B.E.E.F.) will ensure that Berkner High School remains a school where academic excellence is the standard, and continued improvement is the goal.
Contributions can be made to:
Berkner Excellence in Education Fund
1600 E. Spring Valley Road
Richardson, TX 75081.