AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Texas Legislature has approved an overhaul of an academic accountability rating system that issues schools and school districts A to F letter grades.
The grading scale only passed last session and hasn’t even been fully implemented, but has been criticized by teachers and classroom advocates – and even some conservative groups that promoted it originally.
The system currently grades schools on five categories and relies heavily on student performance on state-mandated standardized tests. The bipartisan bill cuts the graded categories to three, applies differently to different grades and focuses on student achievement and progress beyond standardized tests.
It passed the Legislature late Sunday and now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott.
Top Republicans say grades are easy for parents to understand, but opponents worry that F-rated school stigmatize their students.
