Some context
State law requires that annual A-F ratings be issued by Aug. 15 of each year; however, the 2023-24 ratings were blocked for nearly one year after 33 school districts sued the TEA last August, as previously reported by Community Impact. District representatives argued that the agency made it “mathematically impossible” for some schools to earn a high score and waited too long to notify districts about changes to the state accountability system.
Texas' 15th Court of Appeals ruled in July that the 2023-24 ratings could be released, and the TEA later announced they would be issued alongside the 2024-25 ratings.
“Millions of dollars and thousands of hours of work by teachers, administrators and experts have been invested in creating the A-F ratings system; courts can decide only whether it is legal, not whether it is wise or fair, much less commandeer the job of running it,” Chief Justice Scott Brister wrote in the ruling.
The overview
Texas schools are rated on an A-F scale based on three criteria: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. Elementary and middle school ratings are largely based on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, which students begin taking in third grade, while high school ratings are based on STAAR results and how well students are prepared for success after graduation.
NCISD received 72 out of 100 points for 2023-24 and 75 out of 100 points for 2024-25, TEA data shows.
“NCISD remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering outstanding instruction for every student,” Scott Powers, NCISD’s executive director of public relations, said via email Aug. 15. “While accountability ratings are one way of gauging progress, they don’t reflect our daily focus on fostering student achievement, resilience, and readiness. We will continue to build on areas of growth, address areas where performance can be improved, and remain committed to high-quality instruction for every student.”
Across the state, most school districts and campuses maintained or improved their A-F ratings between the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school years. Of the 1,208 school districts in Texas, 24% received a higher rating, while 64% kept the same rating and 12% received a lower rating, TEA data shows.
Fourteen percent of districts received an A rating, 41% received a B, 30% earned a C, 12% earned a D and 3% scored an F.
“Year over year, our schools have gotten better across the state for our kids,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told reporters Aug. 14.
NCISD had 18,958 and 19,398 students enrolled in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. About 74% and 71.5% of students were economically disadvantaged, for 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively, TEA data shows.
To view the updated accountability ratings for K-12 districts and individual campuses, visit www.txschools.gov.
Before you go
Texas school districts last received ratings through the A-F system for the 2022-23 school year in April, according to prior reporting.
Since the A-F system's launch in the 2017-18 school year, NCISD has received five official ratings due to three years of State of Disaster declarations:
- 2017-18: not rated due to Hurricane Harvey
- 2018-19: B
- 2019-20: not rated due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2020-21: not rated due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021-22: C
- 2022-23: C
- 2023-24: C
- 2024-25: C
