Texas Education Agency delays release of annual school ratings
TEA said it needs to make adjustments to account for changes in students’ academic performance after the pandemic. The delay comes after several school districts sued to stop the agency from releasing school rankings produced under a new rating system.
School safety, tutoring and hair: These are some of the new education laws that go into effect this year
Lawmakers failed to pass legislation on school vouchers or teacher raises this year, but they approved other education-related laws like an $800 million investment in high-quality instructional materials and new rules for students found vaping or using marijuana.
Despite post-pandemic improvements, STAAR scores show Texas students are still struggling with math and reading
Test results have gone up since the pandemic in both subjects, but math scores are still below 2019 levels and about half of Texas students read below the level appropriate for most children in their grade.
High-poverty schools struggle to earn Texas’ highest rating. Some in the Rio Grande Valley break that trend.
The Texas Education Agency has dismissed the notion that the accountability ratings are a poverty rating. As evidence, they point to districts like those in the Rio Grande Valley, which have achieved high marks while serving a high number of economically disadvantaged students.
Analysis: Texas schools need support from politically distracted state leaders
Public education in Texas — like everywhere in the country — is hurting after more than two years of pandemic. But many in the political class are preoccupied with reforms that have more to do with social issues than with education.
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Texas Education Agency offers free tool to parents, schools to find out how much students learned this year
AUSTIN, Texas – In an effort to gauge how much students have learned this school year, including being educated from home due to the coronavirus, the Texas Education Agency has launched free, optional end-of-year assessments that school systems and parents can choose to administer. The optional test is not required and does not take the place of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR Test that Gov. The results of the optional testing will provide valuable data that informs further instructional support school systems can provide this summer and into the coming school year. Parents can register their student for the optional EOY assessments from May 12 thru June 5. Districts may also print PDF versions of the tests from the testing platform and send to students along with the paper answer documents.