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EmailFounded in 1926, John H. Reagan High School, named after a 19th century politician, is one of Houston’s oldest high schools. Located in the Houston Heights, Reagan serves 9th-12th grade students as HISD’s Magnet School of Computer Technology and is currently an International Baccalaureate Candidate School.
John H. Reagan High School
413 E 13th Street, Houston, TX 77008 Ms. Connie Berger, Principal
713-861-5694
www.JHReagan.org
Religious Affiliation
As a public school, Reagan has no religious affiliation. According to Houston Independent School District’s policy, every school has a moment of silence each day during which students can pray silently to themselves if they so choose. Also, absences because of religious holidays do not count toward the student’s total number of absences. However, the student is still responsible for the make up work.
Location and Facilities
Reagan is located in the historic Heights just northwest of downtown Houston. It is nestled between 13th, 14th, Oxford, and Arlington streets. In 1904, the campus was home to the original Houston Heights High School, which later burnt down. Reagan was originally built in 1926 and recently underwent a complete renovation in 2006-2008. The school has two gymnasiums, an auditorium, dance rooms, technology rooms, a piano lab, a choir/band hall, and a library. It also has a two-story parking garage, an auto shop, and large track and field. Interestingly, Reagan’s gymnasium is the home court of the American Basketball Association (ABA) team, the Houston Takers.
Admissions
Reagan’s admissions process is split into two different types: zoned and magnet. Parents of students living outside Reagan’s zone must apply through the HISD magnet process. Students are selected through a lottery process after applications have closed.
Academic Tracks and Curriculum
Reagan offers three tracks—On Track, Dual-Credit, and AP. Pre-AP classes lead to the 15 classes from the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum. In order to take advanced classes, students must turn in a Pre-AP/AP Entrance Agreement Form and fulfill prerequisite courses. During the 2010-2011 school year, 43% of students were enrolled in Honors courses.
Students at Reagan are split into five “academies,” which are made up of core teachers and specialty teachers serving between 150 – 250 students each. The academies are Business, Health Science, Fine Arts (all freshmen and no upperclassmen), Engineering & Architectural Design. The Magnet/ Technology Academy serves approximately 700 students. Each academy works with students to help them find related job opportunities and potentially receive college credit from Houston Community College.
Students enrolled in Reagan’s Dual Language Program acquire a high level of comprehension in both Spanish and English, the ability the express themselves fluently in both languages, familiarity with two cultures, and bilingual skills in all academic disciplines.
In conjunction with Hogg Middle School, Reagan is pursuing authorization to offer the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) for ages 11 to 16. IB students will be required to study at least two languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education, and technology. In their final year, students undertake an independent “personal project.”
In order to graduate with a Recommended Diploma, students must complete 26 credits; one credit equals one year of study: English (4), Social Studies (4), Math (4), Science (4), Foreign Language (2), Physical Education (1), Speech (1/2), Fine Art (1), and Electives (5 and ½). A Distinguished Diploma requires one more year of a foreign language and one less year of an elective.
Special Needs
Standard HISD policies.
Foreign Languages
Reagan offers foreign language classes in both Spanish and German, including German I-III, Spanish for Native Speakers, and Spanish V AP Literature and Culture. Students must complete at least two years of a foreign language to graduate—three years if the student wishes to earn a Distinguished Diploma. Reagan is an International Spanish Academy with a Dual Language Program in Spanish and English.
Arts
Reagan’s Fine Arts Academy offers classes in the following: Dance, Art, Painting, Sculpture, Studio Art, Theatre Art, Technical Theatre, Music History, Choir, Mariachi, Marching Band, Instrumental Ensemble, and Mass Media: TV & Radio.
Technology
As HISD’s Magnet for Computer Technology, Reagan incorporates technology heavily into its curriculum. Additionally, magnet students can specialize in Computer Programming or Finance. Computer Programming, an intensive four-year college preparatory program, teaches students basic and advanced programming techniques and emphasizes math through calculus, science through physics, and computer science. The Academy of Finance, also a four-year program, assists students in “developing a knowledge and awareness of the global economy in which we live and the increasing role of technology in the world of business and finance.”
Extracurricular Activities
Reagan offered the following clubs during past school years: Art, Auto Skills USA/VICA, Band, Business Professionals of America, Choir, Christian Students Union, Class Year Clubs, Cycling Club, Dawg Proud, Deca, Diversity Club, Drama, Ecology Club, FBLA, Garden Club, Gent Phi Gent, H2BAM, HOSA, Interact, Jazz Band, Jr. Achievement, JROTC, Lovely Leading Ladies, Mademoiselles, Mariachi, Math Club, NHS, PADA/SADA, PAL, Photo Club, Poetry/Book, Robotics, Sculpture, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Spanish Club, The Whiz Kids, Theater, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Technology Student Association, UIL, University Outreach, and finally Youth and Government/Key Club.
Male students can participate in a unique club called H2BAM (How to Be a Man), which seeks “to uphold a sense of brotherhood, loyalty, leadership, and service, within the school, family, and community.”
Athletics
Male students at Reagan can participate in the following sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, and wrestling. Female students can join basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Students can also join cheerleading, the drill team, or the Reagan Redcoats competitive dance team.
Parent Involvement
Parents can join Reagan’s PTO.
Reagan High School Fast Facts
| Overview | |
| School Type | Public, Magnet |
| Religious Affiliation | None |
| Uniforms | Dress Code Only |
| Date Founded | 1926 |
| Endowment | N/A |
| Grades Served | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 2001 |
| Grade 12 | 350 |
| Grade 11 | 465 |
| Grade 10 | 480 |
| Grade 9 | 706 |
| Student to Teacher Ratio | 18:1 |
| Faculty with Advanced Degrees (#/%) | 37/37% |
| Minorities in Student Body | 96% |
| Curriculum | |
| Academic Tracks Offered | Honors, AP, Magnet |
| Advanced Placement Courses Offered | 15 |
| Languages Offered | Spanish, German |
| Calendar (Semester / Trimester / Other) | Semester |
| Interscholastic Sports Programs | 12 |
| Graduating Seniors | |
| National Merit Semi-Finalists 2012 (#/%) | 0 / 0% |
| Average SAT Scores (Class of 2011) | 1288 |
| Mathematics | 457 |
| Critical Reading | 421 |
| Writing | 410 |
| % Students Admitted to 4 Year University | N/A |
| Public School Stats (Public Schools) | |
| Gifted and Talented Students | 17% |
| Free and Reduced Lunch | 79% |
| AYP (2008-2011)
AYP (2011-2012) |
Met AYP
Missed AYP |
| TEA Accountability (2007-2011) | Academically Acceptable |
Excerpted from General Academic’s publication, “Houston Private & Select Public Schools: Survey, Analysis, and Research, 3rd Edition.”
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