TEA releases new accountability ratings for districts and schools

Mission, Texas- The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released new, preliminary, accountability ratings for schools and districts. For the first time all schools and districts are being rated using a new A-F system. 

Districts will have an opportunity to appeal any of the ratings released today before they become final later this fall. 

Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) has received a “B” in the ratings. This is the second year districts have been rated using a letter and the second year Mission CISD has been close to earning the highest possible, “A”. In school progress, Mission CISD was rated a 92, which is 70% of the overall score, and a 78 in Closing the Gaps, which accounts for 30% of the district's score, resulting in a “B” rating. 

Six Mission CISD schools have been assigned an  “A” rating. Eleven schools received a “B” rating. While 4 have received a “C” rating. 

“I am pleased we have continued to show growth in the areas used to make the complicated calculations to arrive at the school and district ratings,” said Dr. Carol G. Perez. “This past school year has been one of transition and reflection for Mission CISD and we are now laser focused on our curriculum, instructional practices especially in special programs, and alignments. We want to make sure we are targeting higher levels of learning for all our students so they are not just prepared for a state standardized test, but for college, careers, or the military.”

Dr. Perez, stressed that the schools of Mission CISD are doing well and are academically strong. “We know that our students and schools are more than just a standardized test score and will continue to develop the whole child as we challenge them academically.”

Ratings are based upon “grades” given in each of three different areas or “domains”. Those areas or domains are: student achievement on the STAAR, school progress, and closing the gaps which includes college and career readiness data. 70% of the school/district final ratings are based on the best score from the first two domains. 30% of the rating is based on how the school/district is closing gaps in student achievement.

In addition to the accountability ratings, some additional honors; called distinctions, were also earned by many of the Mission CISD schools. The total number of distinctions earned by Mission CISD campuses is 56.

Elementary schools can earn a total of six distinctions in: academic achievement in Reading/ELA, academic achievement in Math, academic achievement in Science, comparative academic growth, comparative closing the gaps, and postsecondary readiness. The following are the accountability ratings and distinctions earned by Mission CISD elementary schools:

Alton Elementary School, A, six distinctions (all possible); Bryan Elementary School, C, one distinction; Cantu Elementary School, B, three distinctions; Capt. J. Castro Elementary School, C; Cavazos Elementary School, B, one distinction; Escobar/Rios Elementary School, B, one distinction; Leal Elementary School of Technology and Engineering, A, four distinctions; Marcell Elementary School, C; Midkiff Elementary School, A, six distinction (all possible); Mims Elementary School, A, six distinction (all possible); O’Grady Elementary School, B, one distinction; Pearson Elementary School, B, one distinction; Salinas Elementary School Fine Arts Academy, A, six distinctions (all possible); Waitz Elementary School, B, one distinction. A total of four elementary schools earned all six distinctions possible. 

Junior high schools and high schools can earn a total of seven distinctions in: academic achievement in Reading/ELA, academic achievement in Math, academic achievement in Science, academic achievement in Social Studies, comparative academic growth, comparative closing the gaps, and postsecondary readiness. The ratings and distinctions given by TEA to Mission CISD junior high schools  and high schools are: 

Alton Memorial Junior High School, C, two distinctions; R. Cantu Junior High School, B, two distinctions; Mission Junior High School, B, five distinctions; K. White Junior High School, B, three distinctions; Mission High School, B, one distinction; Veterans Memorial High School, B, one distinction; Mission Collegiate High School, A, five distinctions. 

An overview of the Mission CISD ratings are available online at: https://txschools.gov/districts/108908

You can look up detailed accountability ratings information for any school or district through the TEA website at, https://txschools.org/.

Resources explaining the accountability system are also available through the TEA website.

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