AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has issued its first A-F letter grade academic accountability ratings for school districts, with only about 1 percent receiving failing marks.
Individual schools won’t get grades until next year, after the Legislature postponed implementation under pressure from superintendents.
Instead, campuses got numeric scores 0-100 on Wednesday, as well as ratings ranging from “met standard” to “improvement required.” About 4 percent of schools statewide got failing “improvement required.”
The system evaluates the state’s 1,200 public and charter districts on student achievement, school progress and closing achievement gaps affecting low-income students.
It’s been criticized by education advocates who worry that too many districts in poor areas will flunk, stigmatizing students.
But many Texas conservatives counter that the system encourages academic accountability and is an easy way to understand where districts stand.