AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The U.S. Department of Education has granted Texas a conditional waiver to avoid strict academic accountability standards imposed by the federal No Child Left Behind law.
But the department also placed Texas on “high risk status” for having future waivers rejected.
The Texas Education Agency said in a statement Tuesday that securing waivers beyond the current school year will require statewide use of teacher and principal evaluations. Such evaluations would be used while making personnel decisions.
But the agency also said it won’t compel its local school districts to use a uniform evaluation system statewide – which could jeopardize securing future waivers.
Texas long opted not to seek reprieves from the federal standards, worrying about strings attached.
But the state reversed course and sought a wavier beginning in 201