Education

Waller ISD

The Waller Independent School District is the second largest school district in total square miles in the Houston area, encompassing 328 square miles in Waller and northwest Harris Counties. Waller ISD is located in both Waller and Harris counties,  35-45 miles northwest of downtown Houston.     Seven Waller ISD campuses serve over 5200 students.

For nine consecutive years, Waller ISD has been the safest Harris County school district among the twenty-two compared for juvenile offender activity (from Annual Reports of the Harris County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program).

In 2008-09, Waller ISD and its campuses earned 15 TEA Gold Performance Acknowledgements with 5 of 7 campuses being named “Recognized” or “Exemplary” schools.   WHS offers over 50 hours of dual college credit courses, and teachers, administrators, and trustees encourage student participation in extra-curricular activities. Students can choose from award-winning bands, choirs, and theatre arts; ten team sports; and over 30 other student activities. Eighty percent of the district’s graduates planned to attend higher education, and in 2007-2008, WHS graduates received approximately $3.8 million in scholarship opportunities.

In the 2009-10 school year, WISD will open the new Turlington Elementary School in the growing northeast part of the district.   WISD will also open the new Bulldog Football Stadium with its state-of-the-art artificial turf and video scoreboard.  With its 10,000 seat capacity, the stadium will be a prime candidate for playoff games, adding to the city’s economic vitality.

Waller ISD Bulldog Stadium – opened August 2009 -  10,000 seats

Turlington Elementary School – opened August 2009

Other recent  accomplishments include:  the WHS Band won the UIL Sweepstakes award, and the WHS Band has been sweepstakes winners 3 years in a row;  WJH has won District Championships in soccer, volleyball, track, cross-country and basketball; WJH has also won the District UIL Academic Championship for the last six years and is the current reigning champion. In 2005-2006 a WHS soccer coach was named District 18-AAAA Coach of the Year, a WHS female wrestler won Bronze in the Collegiate Open Division of the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association National Championship, in 2008 the WHS Girls Wrestling program won the Duals State Championship, the WHS Theatre Troupe won the One-Act Play Zone competition, and a WHS athlete won the State 4A Girls Powerlifting Championship. In 2007 the WHS Varsity Football team advanced to the regional semifinals.  Waller ISD earned its sixth consecutive Superior rating in Texas Schools FIRST financial accountability system. SMS and WJH are annual participants and consistent winners in the Hewlett Packard Robotics Competition.

Waller ISD strives to be a leader in all aspects of educational technology.  District classrooms are connected by a high speed fiber network and classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art digital technology to include interactive whiteboards, projectors, laptops, and student response system.  Multiple computer labs are available on each campus and students at all grade levels participate in challenging technology instruction.  Individual classrooms are also equipped with multiple technology based learning programs supporting instruction in reading, mathematics, science, and languages.

Prairie View A & M

The students at Prairie View A & M University represent a pool of skilled, inexpensive workers to recruit. Moreover, PVAMU’s significant investments into engineering programs and facilities provide businesses access to advanced research and development facilities. For residents and area employees, the education facilities offer many convenient opportunities for skill improvements. For example, the College of Business has scheduled its MBA courses on weekends and evenings, which provides Waller residents access to convenient advanced business training.

PVAMU has recently received substantial investments from the State of Texas and through private donations. Some highlights of those investments are as follows:

	Received a total $200 million from the State of Texas through 2008 to be used for buildings and program materials
	College of Engineering received a $60 million gift from General Motors in computer software and hardware for the electrical engineering department
	Four new academic buildings will be completed by 2010 including:
		School of Architecture building that will also house the State of Texas designated black cultural and historical center
		Electrical Engineering Building to house PhD programs
		Juvenile Justice Center that will have treatment and research facilities
		Student Center with 110,000 sq. ft. of useable space and a 980 seat auditorium and 500 seat ballroom