Education
BY EMILY LINCKE & HANNAH BROL
New Caney ISD maintains C score for 2 years of state accountability ratings
Some context
State law requires that annual A-F ratings be issued by Aug. 15 of each year; however, the 2023-24 ratings were blocked for nearly one year after 33 school districts sued the TEA last August, arguing the agency made it “mathe- matically impossible” for some schools to earn a high score. Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals ruled in July that the 2023-24 ratings could be released, and the TEA later announced they would be issued alongside the 2024-25 ratings. “Millions of dollars and thousands of hours of work by teachers, administrators and experts have been invested in creating the A-F ratings system; courts can decide only whether it is legal, not whether it is wise or fair,” Chief Justice Scott Brister wrote in the ruling.
New Caney ISD maintained a C rating for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years in the Texas Education Agency’s accountability ratings for school districts statewide. The ratings were released Aug. 15 after a legal battle that began nearly two years prior. Texas schools are rated based on three categories: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. NCISD received 72 out of 100 points for 2023-24 and 75 out of 100 points for 2024-25. “NCISD remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering outstanding instruction for every student,” said Scott Powers, NCISD’s executive director of public relations. “While accountability ratings are one way of gauging progress, they don’t reflect our daily focus on fostering student achievement, resilience and readiness.” Per the TEA, elementary and middle school ratings are largely based on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, while high school ratings are based on STAAR and how well students are prepared for success after graduation. NCISD had 18,958 and 19,398 students enrolled in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. About 74% and 71.5% of students were economically disadvantaged, for 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively, TEA data shows. Texas school districts last received ratings through the A-F system for the 2022-23 school year in April. Since the A-F system’s launch in the 2017-18 school year, NCISD has received only five official ratings due to State of Disaster declarations for Hurricane Harvey and the coronavirus pandemic.
New Caney ISD A-F scores, 2021-25 Score
100
84
75
72
72
75
50
25
0
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Legal action surrounding Texas' A-F system
NCISD A-F ratings by campus
Aug. 15, 2023: Deadline to issue A-F ratings Aug. 24, 2023: Districts sue TEA with concerns over 2023 rating system Sept. 12, 2023: TEA delays release of 2023 ratings, originally set for Sept. 28 Oct. 26, 2023: Travis County district court blocks release of 2023 ratings Aug. 12, 2024: Second suit filed; Travis County district court blocks 2024 ratings April 3, 2025: State appeals court rules 2023 ratings can be issued April 24, 2025: 2023 ratings are released July 3, 2025: State appeals court rules 2024 ratings can be issued Aug. 15, 2025: 2024 and 2025 ratings are released
2023-24
2024-25
10
8
6
4
2
0
A
B
C
D F
Rating
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Put in perspective
Statewide district performance
2024-25
2023-24
districts across Texas, 24% received a higher rating, while 64% kept the same rating and 12% received a lower rating, TEA data shows. “We will continue to build on areas of growth, address areas where performance can be improved, and remain committed to high-quality instruction for every student,” Powers said.
TEA data shows 10 NCISD campuses—including eight elementary schools, one middle school and one high school—earned higher rating scores in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. Across the state, TEA data shows most school districts and campuses maintained or improved their A-F ratings between the 2023-24 and the 2024-25 school years. Of the 1,208 school
A: 23% B: 33% C: 24% D: 10% F: 4% Not rated: 6%
A: 18% B: 31% C: 25% D: 14% F: 8% Not rated: 6%
NOTE: PERCENTAGES MAY NOT ADD UP TO 100% DUE TO ROUNDING. SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
10
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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