George Gongora/Caller-Times file BACK TO SCHOOL: Barnes Elementary School kindergarten teacher Deborah Saavedra lines students up on the first day of school at their temporary location in Smith Elementary School. The Texas Education Agency labeled Barnes as a recognized campus and Smith as exemplary.

'Public schools have done very well'

At least one school in 4 of 5 area districts was rated 'exemplary'

By Tim Eaton, Caller-Times

46$ million donation In September 2000, a Corpus Christi philanthropist made a donation that is creating what some say will be one of the nation's most important marine science research institutes.    Ed Harte, former publisher of the Caller-Times, gave $46 million as an endowment to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The donation created the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, funding six professorships and a dozen graduate researchers to assist in their work.    The donation was one of the five largest pledges in the history of Texas universities. The state pledged $15 million so the university could build a facility to house the Harte institute.    A team from the institute recently conducted its premiere research voyage to Veracruz, Mexico. The expedition included the first scientific documentation of mass coral spawning at Mexico's Veracruz Reefs.    On the Net    Stay up to date on local _education news at caller.com, keyword education.

Newcomers to the Coastal Bend cannot go wrong with whatever school district they choose, according to one state school board representative. And for those who want to further their education, the area offers three accredited higher education campuses.
   "We are very fortunate that we have excellent schools almost anywhere you live," said state board of education member Mary Helen Berlanga. "Our traditional public schools have done very well."
   'Exemplary' schools
   The Texas Education Agency has labeled at least one school in four of the five Corpus Christi area school districts as exemplary, the highest designation. Other designations include recognized, acceptable and low-performing. None of the local public schools are low-performing.
   Overall, three area districts earned the recognized rating and two were rated acceptable.
   The Corpus Christi Independent School District was given an overall acceptable rating.
   The Flour Bluff Independent School District is recognized, as are the Calallen and Tuloso-Midway independent school districts.
   The West Oso Independent School District received an acceptable rating.
   Within CCISD, Carroll High School achieved the highest rating, along with 12 other schools in the district. There are also 27 recognized campuses in the 64-campus district. District officials can be reached at 886-9200.
   Flour Bluff ISD has an exemplary high school and three other recognized campuses in the five-campus district. District officials can be reached at 694-9000.
   The Calallen ISD has four exemplary schools and one recognized campus in the six-campus district. District officials can be reached at 242-5600.
   The Tuloso-Midway ISD has an exemplary school, three recognized campuses in the five-campus district. District officials can be reached at 241-3286.
   The West Oso ISD has four acceptable campuses. District officials can be reached at 855-3321.
   Universities and colleges
   When high school graduates choose a next step, they have two area four-year universities, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University-Kingsville, or two two-year college, Del Mar College and Coastal Bend College.
   A&M-Corpus Christi has four colleges to choose from: the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, the College of Education and the College of Science and Technology. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The university can be reached at 825-5700.
   The A&M-Kingsville campus has a College of Business Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, College of Education, and the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering. Like A&M-Corpus Christi, Kingsville offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The university can be reached at 361-593-2111.
   Del Mar, the city's community college, offers academic, occupational, technical and continuing education programs. It has 150 different credit and noncredit programs. College administrators can be reached at 698-1200.
   Coastal Bend College is a two-year institution that offers vocational, technical, and academic courses for certification or associate degrees. The campuses - in Beeville, Alice, Kingsville and Pleasanton - provide continuing education, remedial and compensatory education and have an open-admission policy. Call the school at (361) 358-2838.