Humble, New Caney ISDs say preliminary A-F ratings from TEA unfair to districts


The Texas Education Agency released a work-in-progress report Jan. 6 showcasing district and campus performance from the 2015-16 academic year, using a new A-F rating system.


However, Humble and New Caney ISDs said the rankings are inequitable. The A-F rankings rely too much on standardized testing, NCISD Superintendent Kenn Franklin said.


“The A-F system relies primarily on standardized tests administered to students on a single day during the year and, therefore, does not capture the entirety of a student’s learning,” Franklin said.


The controversial system change comes as a result of House Bill 2804, which was passed by the 84th Texas Legislature in 2015.


The first official ratings under the new system will be released in August 2018, reflecting district and student performance in the 2016-17 academic year.


Until then, the “met standard” accountability system will remain as an official measure for school performance.


Under the new system, the four domains, or performance areas, measure student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results, attendance rates and economically disadvantaged numbers factor into the four domains.


Humble, New Caney ISDs say preliminary A-F ratings from TEA unfair to districts“This is a work in progress,” TEA Spokesperson Lauren Callahan said.  “We were required by the Legislature to provide this report and to implement a new accountability system, so we did and provided the report that they asked for.”


HISD received letter grades of B, B, D and D in the four domains, respectively. NCISD received letter grades of D, C, D and F in the four domains.


“The A-F ratings plan has been touted as simple and transparent,” according to an HISD statement. “The truth is that the underlying calculations are anything but simple and transparent.”


The rankings also exacerbate the difference between wealthy and poorer districts, the statement said.


“Schools with wealthier students tend to score higher ratings, although teaching may be of the same quality as that of a school with high poverty levels,” HISD said.