December 11th, 2009
Austin Chamber names Shafer superintendent of the year

Patty Shafer was honored as Superintendent of the Year by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

STAFF REPORT

San Marcos CISD Superintendent Patty Shafer was recently named Superintendent of the Year by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

The honor was announced on Dec. 8 by KEYE-TV anchor Ron Oliveira at the chamber’s State of Education Luncheon before a throng of more than 600 political, business and educational leaders at the Frank Erwin Center.

San Marcos CISD received awards for increases in college and workforce readiness and for the increase in the direct-to-college enrollment. The awards were presented by State Senator Florence Shapiro, State Representative Donna Howard, and Commissioner of High Education Raymond Paredes.

When giving the award to Shafer, presenters said, “Along with her partner at the San Marcos Chamber, Phyllis Snodgrass, Dr. Shafer has plunged into the region’s college readiness and enrollment efforts.”

Through a strategic partnership with 11 regional chambers of commerce and nine school districts to produce Community Education Progress Reports, the Austin chamber annually reports the progress of local school districts in high school graduation, college readiness and college enrollment. The awards Shafer and San Marcos CISD received were partially based on these reports.

The cited examples of SMCISD’s improving educational standards included the fact that 80 percent of the San Marcos CISD Class of 2009 submitted the Apply Texas application online, that San Marcos doubled its submission of student applications for financial aid (FAFSA) in one year and that San Marcos CISD had the largest one-year increase in college and workplace readiness rates in the region (from 27 percent ready in both English and Math in 2007 to 39 percent college-ready in both subjects in 2008). Additionally, San Marcos CISD was number one in the region in direct-to-college enrollment increases (from 36 percent in 2007 to 44 percent in 2008).

Shafer said partnership and collaboration are the keys to increase college readiness and enrollment.

“Our faculty work alongside the students to meet the challenge of being ready for college-level work,” Shafer said.  “Members of the SMCISD faculty, staff, and administration work in conjunction with partners from Texas State University, Austin Community College, and the San Marcos Chamber to make sure that students complete applications for admission and financial aid.  These awards are indicators of teamwork on the part of the entire community.”