Texas Education Agency Releases 2022-23 Accountability Ratings

Brave Nation,

As some of you may be aware, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently released the 2022-23 accountability ratings for school districts across the state. These ratings, while intended to provide a snapshot of academic performance, are based solely on 2022-23 STAAR test results for all campuses along with College, Career, and Military Ready (CCMR) scores for the high school, and reflect a year of significant transitions for both students and educators.

It was the first year of STAAR 2.0, an entirely new version of the test administered exclusively online for the first time. Alongside this shift in testing format, the state also raised the benchmarks required to earn an A, B, or C rating - after the test had already been administered to students. These changes prompted over 200 school districts across Texas to file lawsuits against the state, citing concerns over the altered accountability system and the timing of its implementation. This lawsuit prevented TEA from releasing accountability ratings until today, after an appeals court ruled that they could be released.

In addition to statewide concerns, Brave Nation has some specific challenges that we must face. First, Community ISD continues to grow rapidly, welcoming more than 500 new students each school year. As educators, it takes time to get to know each child, understand their academic needs, and tailor instruction accordingly. Additionally, an increasing number of families are choosing to opt their children out of state testing—a decision that, under current rules, results in a zero score for each opted-out student. That impacts overall district ratings, regardless of the quality of education those students receive.

We lay out these challenges to you not as an excuse - we always believe that there is room for improvement and growth in anything we do - but we also wanted to explain the challenges we face both locally and statewide in TEA’s accountability metrics. We are using this data to inform our work moving forward and remain committed to serving every student. Our mission is not to chase a letter grade, but to ensure meaningful academic growth for all learners. Our number one goal is to see progress in every child, every day—not just performance on one test, on one day. We are proud to report that we have seen progress in all of our students this year, and we’re excited to have the chance to continue to grow.