Texas is planning to refresh its A-F accountabiity rating criteria and not everyone is in favor. For the past five years, public schools, Texas has rated schools based on factors relating to student achievement and school progress without any changes. After five years of no changes and a global pandemic, The Texas Education Agency stated it is time to refresh the A-F system to ensure Texas remains a national leader in preparing students for success after graduation. Here is how the plan has been received by over 200 Houston-area school districts:
Background
- Five years ago, public school students weren’t as prepared for college, career, and military readiness, so the standards were lower.
- There’s been an improvement over the years, with more and more students ready for post-high school careers and post-secondary education, so the state is raising its standards.
- Some districts believe the increase in expectations from the state is too drastic.
Response from the Houston area
- Jackie Anderson, a longtime educator, and president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, is not surprised by the concern of so many districts about the proposed changes to the Texas Education Agency accountability rating system.
- There is concern that schools and parents who believed (and were told) students were doing well will be rated differently.
- 234 school districts, including 20 in the Houston area, sent a letter to the governor, TEA, and Senate and House education committees asking them to re-evaluate their plan.
- Part of the letter reads, “Moving forward with the planned refresh is irresponsible as it will cause significant confusion among the community, put increased pressure on teachers and other staff who are already at their breaking point, and wrest the policy decisions of how we should hold our schools accountable away from the elected representatives of the people leaving them in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.”
- About 20 of the 39 public and consolidated school districts in Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Brazoria counties signed the letter.
More HERE
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