In the new state rating system, LISD earned the letter grades of B, B, D and C and Marcus’ scores were A, C, B, and C.
The Texas Education Agency released a set of provisional ratings for school districts and campuses across the state on Jan. 6. The new rating system is based on A through F grading scale, which will be implemented for a full year in the 2017-18 school year, comparing district and student performance from the 2016-17 academic year. Under the proposal, there are 4 categories:
Category I: How students score on state tests
Category II: How much progress students made year to year
Category III: How schools are closing the achievement gaps between poor students and their peers
Category IV: How well schools are preparing students for college or careers
Superintendent Dr.Kevin Rogers rejected the new system in his recent letter to the community on the LISD webpage. He commented that the scoring system is arbitrary and the TEA was not informing school’s the criteria of a passing or failing grade.
“Any system that grades schools based on one standardized test taken on one day of the school year disregards the important work of our teachers and students happening each and every day,” Rogers wrote.
He went on to protest students taking the STAAR test.
“The defects in the STAAR testing system related to writing were exposed when LISD uncovered numerous issues with both the scoring of writing tests and the data distributed by the testing company,” Dr.Rogers wrote. “One startling example that highlights the failings of the system.”
Even though LISD school’s were not given overall A ratings, Dr.Rogers wrote that the district is among the best in the state.
“Our students and teachers demonstrate excellence in the classroom, on the athletic fields, in fine arts competitions, clubs, activities, and so much more!” Dr. Rogers wrote.
Since the release of the letter grades on Friday, frustrated educators among 60 North Texas districts came together Monday in Garland to fight the new system and tell lawmakers that it only serves to criticize public schools.
How LISD high schools were ranked:
Flower Mound High School: A, C, B, C
Flower Mound 9th grade campus: A, A, A, N/A,
Hebron High School: A, A, B, A
Hebron 9th grade campus: A, B, B, N/A
Marcus High School: A, C, B, C
Marcus 9th grade campus: A, B, B, N/A
The Colony High School: B, B, B, D
Lewisville High School: C, B, B, D
