State law requires that annual A-F ratings be issued by Aug. 15 of each year; however, the 2024 ratings were blocked for nearly one year after 33 school districts sued the TEA last August, arguing 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 2024 ratings could be released, and the TEA later announced they would be issued alongside the 2025 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.
At a glance
Texas schools are rated on an A-F scale based on three criteria: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps, as previously reported by Community Impact. 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 the STAAR and how well students are prepared for success after graduation.
SISD received 67 out of 100 points for 2023-24 and 65 out of 100 points for 2024-25, TEA data shows.
During the SISD board of trustees’ Aug. 18 special meeting, interim Superintendent Kregg Cuellar was named as the lone finalist for the superintendent position, which was vacated in June after former Superintendent Lupita Hinojosa retired.
“We are fully aware of the urgency before us,” SISD board President Justine Durant said Aug. 18. “The state accountability rating has made it clear that we must act with focus, transparency and commitment. The board believes in Cuellar as our next leader in guiding SISD through this critical moment and into a future where our students succeed at the highest level.”
During the meeting, Cuellar said his goal is to push SISD toward becoming an A-rated district.
“I can promise you, with everything in my body that I will give it everything I have to ensure that we are on our way to an A, and I will not stop until ensuring that every single child has the most optimal learning experience in the entire district,” Cuellar said.
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 Texas' 1,208 school districts, 24% received a higher rating, while 64% kept the same rating and 12% received a lower rating, TEA data shows.
Statewide, 14% 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.
SISD had 33,912 students enrolled for 2023-24 and 33,575 for 2024-25, according to TEA’s A-F data. About 88% and 80.2% 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.
What else?
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 launched in 2017-18, SISD has received five official ratings due to three years of State of Disaster declarations:
- 2017-18: not rated due to Hurricane Harvey
- 2018-19: C
- 2019-20: not rated due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2020-21: not rated due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021-22: B
- 2022-23: D
- 2023-24: D
- 2024-25: D
