Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system

The Texas Education Agency rates schools and districts using four criteria. The criteria are the same for schools and districts. According to the agency, the number of state schools and districts receiving the top ratings of "exemplary" and "recognized" increased from 2,213 in 2005 to 3,380 in 2006.

Exemplary

This is the highest rating a school or district can receive. In order to receive an Exemplary rating, a school/district must meet all four of the following criteria:

• TAKS (TM) Test Passing - At least 90 percent of all students must pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test overall and on each of five subsections (Reading/ELA, Writing, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science); in addition, each "subgroup" (African American, Hispanic, White, and Economically Disadvantaged) must also meet the 90 percent criterion overall and in each subsection (provided there are enough students to meet "minimum size" requirements)
• SDAA II Test Passing - At least 90 percent of all students must pass the State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) test, which is required for only those students for whom the TAKS test is not an acceptable measurement (subgroup criterion does not apply)
• Completion Rate - At least 95 percent of all students, as well as 95 percent of each subgroup listed under the TAKS test, must either have completed or are continuing their education four years after entering high school (this criterion applies to high schools and districts only)
• Dropout Rate - No more than 0.2 percent of all students, as well as no more than 0.2 percent of each subgroup, can have dropped out of school.

Recognized

The second highest rating possible. The criteria are 75 percent pass rate on TAKS and SDAA II (again, required for all students as well as each subgroup), 85 percent on Completion Rate, and 0.7 percent on Dropout Rate.

Academically Acceptable

The criteria are 65 percent on TAKS Subsections "Social Studies", "Reading/ELA", and "Writing", 45 percent on "Mathematics", and 40 percent on "Science", 50 percent on SDAA II, 75 percent on Completion Rate, and 1.0 percent on Dropout Rate.

Academically Unacceptable

The worst possible rating. Any school or district not meeting all of the above criteria for Academically Acceptable will be rated thus. A district with two consecutive Academically Unacceptable ratings can be closed by TEA (as was the case with the now-defunct Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District and the Mirando City Independent School District).

Not Rated: Other

• School Districts/Charter Schools
  • Used for districts or charter operators in the unlikely event that there is insufficient data to rate due to no TAKS results in the accountability subset.
  • In 2006, this rating may be assigned to districts impacted by Hurricane Rita.

• Campuses
  • Used if the campus:
    • has no students enrolled in grades higher than kindergarten
    • has insufficient data to rate due to no TAKS results in the accountability subset
    • has insufficient data to rate through Special Analysis due to very small numbers of TAKS results in the accountability subset
    • is a designated Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) or a designated Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP)

Additional requirements

For a district to receive Exemplary or Recognized status, it cannot have any school rated Academically Unacceptable (even if the overall district statistics would rate such); if a district has any such campus, the district overall can be rated no higher than Academically Acceptable. Alternative education programs are rated using different criteria.

External link

• 2006 Texas Education Agency Accountability Manual
• A List Of Exemplary Schools in Texas