Judicial Intervention Halts Texas School Accountability Ratings Release for Second Consecutive Year

In a surprising turn of events, a Travis County judge has temporarily restrained the Texas Education Agency (TEA) from disclosing the accountability ratings of Texas' school districts and campuses for the second consecutive year. The ruling came on the same day that Texas school districts filed their second lawsuit challenging the state's modifications to the performance measurement metrics. The controversy surrounding the grading of Texas school districts has persisted since last year. The ratings received by public schools are predominantly based on their students' performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test, an annual statewide standardized test that evaluates students' understanding of state-mandated core curriculum. In response to legislative requirements, the TEA has been tasked with redesigning the STAAR test by 2023 to facilitate online administration and minimize multiple-choice questions. As part of this redesign, the TEA implemented computer-based grading for students' written answers for the first time this year. Additionally, the TEA announced last year that schools would need to meet more stringent benchmarks to achieve a high rating on its accountability system, which grades them on an A-F scale.While the TEA argues that stricter benchmarks will ensure better preparation of students for life after high school, Texas school districts contend that the state is moving the goalposts too quickly. The second lawsuit filed by Texas school district leaders raises concerns about the validity of STAAR results due to the new grading tool. They argue that low scores on the reading section are a result of the new grading system and not necessarily indicative of students' skills or teachers' performance. Consequently, school district leaders argue that the STAAR test cannot be trusted to produce fair grades of school districts' performance and that TEA needs to engage a third party to review the test. This legal battle is the second lawsuit over the A-F rating system. Last fall, a Travis County judge temporarily blocked the release of the 2023-24 ratings, siding with more than 120 school districts who argued that the TEA had not provided sufficient notice before introducing stricter college readiness standards. The judge still has to make a final ruling on that lawsuit, and the TEA has already stated that it plans to appeal the judge's decision. The A-F accountability system is critical as it enables parents to evaluate the success of school districts in preparing their children and decide where to enroll them. For schools, a poor grade could result in significant consequences, including a decrease in state a decrease in state funding