Each year, as a parent, you will receive notice of the rating of the district and school that your child(ren) attend. Texas public schools are expected to meet the requirements of two rating systems: state of Texas (state) and the U.S. Department of Education (federal). Both state and federal classifications are determined, for the most part, by student performance on the state-required, yearly administration of the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) beginning in third grade. This test will be replaced in 2011-2012 by the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness)
State ratings for districts and schools are based on one of the following four classifications listed from low to high student performance: (1) academically unacceptable, (2) academically acceptable, (3) recognized, and (4) exemplary. Schools or districts which are rated “academically unacceptable” must meet specified school improvement requirements. Each year the standards for each classification are raised.
Federal ratings for each school are based on the U.S. Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB) which mandates Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for every school. Schools are classified as either “meeting AYP” or “missing AYP” according to standards that must be met for as many as nine different student groups (race, economically disadvantaged, etc.) Failure to meet the standard for any one group for any one performance area (reading, mathematics, or graduation rate) will result in the school not “meeting AYP” and being subject to certain school improvement requirements. NCLB requires a progressively higher student achievement rate each year until 2014 when all groups are expected to achieve at the 100 percent level in all areas.
Since these accountability ratings are complex and sometimes confusing, parents with questions should contact their school for further information. Also schools not meeting the accountability standards may have certain options for parent consideration including school choice.