TEA delays A-F accountability ratings
Texas Education Agency announced Sept. 12, a temporary delay in the release of 2023 A-F accountability ratings for districts and campuses originally scheduled for Sept. 28. The new ratings are anticipated to be released by the end of October, but that deadline is approaching quickly.
Many school officials statewide have complained the TEA A-F accountability system would drop A-F letter grades by at least one letter grade compared to the last ratings released. Several districts sued TEA in an attempt to stop the agency from moving forward with the new rating system, claiming that the changes would damage their scores.
TEA stated in a press release, The A-F system is a tool that evaluates how well districts and campuses help students reach certain learning goals. As prescribed by statute, A-F ratings must balance multiple objectives to ensure a rigorous, transparent, and fair system, and are based on, the better of: A) Achievement – how well all students have learned certain academic content – and B) Progress – how much all students have gained academically over the course of the year along with, C) Closing the Gaps – how well schools raise academic performance among certain groups of students.
According to the release, the delay will allow for a further re-examination of the baseline data used in the calculation of Progress to ensure ratings reflect the most appropriate goals for students. The final ratings methodology will be posted once this analysis of the growth data is complete, and about two weeks later, A-F ratings will be issued for parents, educators, and the public to use to help Texas schools continue to improve.
“Maintaining high expectations helps guide our efforts to improve student learning and support,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath. “The A-F system is designed to properly reflect how well our schools are meeting those high expectations, and the adjustments we are making this year will ensure it continues to serve as a tool for parents and educators to help our students.”
One of the major changes is the STAAR test is now online only. Local districts in Grimes County have released information publicly to inform the community about the changes.
“A few of the items that we have tried to share publicly is the fact that it is not the same test as before in the previous STAAR/EOC A-F Rating System,” said Navasota ISD Superintendent Dr. Stu Musick. “The format of the test is different, and the types of questions and answer selections are different. The grading system is also different.”
Anderson-Shiro Interim Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Fiaschetti said, “The accountability system in Texas has long been filled with updates and changes throughout the years as TEA has changed assessments from TEAMS to TAAS to TAKS to STAAR. Each time components and calculations changed, the districts’ accountability ratings were put on hold in order for the students and educators to become familiar with the new plan. That is not the case with this round of changes. “
Musick explained the entire individual rubric for students who •Did Not Meet Grade Level (Failing), •Approaches Grade Level (Passing), •Meets Grade Level, and •Masters Grade Level has all changed and become more difficult in the new system.
He said the campus and district levels to achieve an overall rating of D, C, B, or A has also changed and increased substantially in difficulty.
“With all this being said, it is still called the STAAR test, and it is still called the ‘A-F Ratings.’ So, the general public will automatically compare last year to this year, and there is no comparison. It is not even comparing apples to oranges. It is comparing apples to watermelons,” he said.
Musick said the way the new system is already set up, the majority of campuses and districts will decrease one letter grade even if they stay the same or go up in scores from the previous year.
Fiaschetti said not only is the STAAR now 100% online, there are a variety of new question types that have never been utilized in state testing (including short and long answers). She said the change in format and the change in calculations will affect every district’s and campus’s A-F rating which is not being put on hold. Additionally, the new rules are being applied retroactively.
“Students, parents, and the community at large need to be extremely cautious that they understand the grave changes in the system in order to not overreact to the released ratings, to which the commissioner of education has shared will be lower than in the past,” explained Fischetti.
Fiaschetti released a video explaining more about the TEA changes, https://photos.app.goo.gl/ ErCsEGKGjAkKzaZD7.