This story originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Texas Monthly as part of our public-education feature, “What Our Schools Actually Need.” Four polished plaques hang behind Jeff Burke’s desk. Emblazoned with a red Texas star, they capture the Splendora Independent School District’s vision and mission: “Cultivating exceptional people.” An identical plaque greets students at the entrance of each of Splendora ISD’s six campuses, a daily reminder of its approach to recognizing student success. “There’s a reason it doesn’t say ‘cultivating exceptional test takers,’ ” said Burke, the superintendent.Burke, the son of two public school educators, often talks about his students’ hopes and dreams. He arrived in Splendora, a fast-growing community just north of Houston, in 2017, after a stint as an assistant superintendent of…
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