Local school districts earn B’s in state accountability ratings
EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON
The three Highland Lakes public school districts scored B’s for overall performance in the latest Texas Education Agency accountability ratings.
Ratings are based on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams, college/career/military readiness, and graduation rates from the 2018-19 school year. Districts and campuses earn letter grades from A to F based on the TEA scores and other data.
Along with an overall grade, also called an “overview,’ districts are graded on student achievement, student progress, and “closing the gap.”
According to the TEA, a district’s overview shows how well it has prepared students for success in school and after graduation. Student achievement looks at how much students know and are able to do at the end of the school year.
School progress, according to the TEA, reflects how students performed over time and how their growth compares to similar schools based on student population and socioeconomic factors. Closing the gap refers to how well different student populations within a district, such as racial or ethnic groups, economically disadvantaged students, students in special education, and English learners, are performing.
District scores are based on STAAR results (40 percent), college/career/military readiness (40 percent), and graduation rates (20 percent).
Highland Lakes districts were graded as follows:
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
- Overview — B
- Student achievement — B
- School progress — B
- Closing the gap — C
Llano Independent School District
- Overview — B
- Student achievement — A
- Student progress — A
- Closing the gap — B
Marble Falls Independent School District
- Overview — B
- Student achievement — B
- School progress — A
- Closing the gap — C
The TEA also scores individual campuses. Elementary and middle schools earn letter grades predominately based on STAAR test results. At the high school level, accountability ratings are based on STAAR results (40 percent), college/career/military readiness (40 percent), and graduation rates (20 percent).
Campus ratings and other information are available at txschools.gov.
School officials remind parents and residents that the state’s accountability rating is just one way to evaluate districts and campuses. Much of the grade, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels, is heavily based on the STAAR exams.
“Success is not measured by one test in Burnet CISD,” Superintendent Keith McBurnett stated in a media release. “Even with the improvements we have seen in student performance, there is still work to be done to ensure every student continues to grow in preparation for their unique future.”