Education
BY HANNAH NORTON
Education Guide
2024
Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community, ranging from new campuses to budget details to bond elections. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—please show them your gratitude by supporting them.
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What's inside
RRISD implements new SMART Tag app (Page 21)
FAFSA changes lead to decrease in applications (Page 23)
Bob Popinski discusses school funding challenges (Page 24)
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TEA once again blocked from issuing A F ratings for Texas public schools
The A F accountability system The TEA’s accountability system was established by the 2017 Texas Legislature based on a variety of factors, including:
The annual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness
For the second year in a row, a Travis County judge blocked the Texas Education Agency from releasing its A F accountability ratings for Texas school districts and campuses Aug. 12. The case echoes a 2023 lawsuit from over 100 school districts, which alleged the TEA’s revamped accountability system was “unlawful” and would unfairly harm school districts. The agency was set to release ratings for the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 15. In a lawsuit led Aug. 12, ve public school dis- tricts said the TEA has not been transparent about changes to its accountability system and failed to x “mistakes” made last year. The TEA said it was reviewing the ling to determine next steps. “It is disappointing that a small group of school boards and superintendents opposed to fair
accountability and transparency have once again led a lawsuit aimed at preventing A F ratings from being issued and keeping families in the dark about how their schools are doing,” a TEA spokes- person said in a statement. More details Texas’ A F system, designed in 2017, gives parents insight about the quality of their children’s school. If a campus or district receives a failing grade for several years in a row, the state can intervene. Districts have not received complete A F ratings since 2019. In 2022, schools that received a C or lower were deemed “not rated” as they recovered from signi cant learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. Accountability ratings were not issued at all in 2020 or 2021.
Academic growth
High school graduation rates
Student preparedness for college, a career or the military
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Travis County District Judge Karin Crump sided with the school districts in an Aug. 12 order, temporarily blocking the TEA from issuing new accountability ratings while litigation continues. A full hearing was scheduled for Aug. 26, but it has since been delayed until Sept. 16.
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ROUND ROCK EDITION
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