Education
BY BROOKE SJOBERG & HANNAH NORTON
A Texas judge ruled July 3 that the Texas Education Agency can release its public school accountability ratings for the 2023-24 school year. The scores were blocked for nearly one year after 33 school districts sued the TEA last August, arguing that the agency unfairly raised the bar for schools to earn a high score and waited too long to notify districts about the changes. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has said he plans to release ratings for the 2024-25 school year Aug. 15, per state law. “It is absolutely mathematically possible for every [school] to get an A, but they have to earn it,” Morath said. “It’s not just given away.” The latest On July 3, Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals reversed a 2024 ruling by a Travis County district court, which had blocked the TEA from assigning A-F ratings since September. The school districts said the TEA did not provide fair notice of changes to the accountabil- ity system. The appeals court noted that Morath has the authority to adopt new standards “at any time during a school year.” The court also rejected districts’ concerns that the STAAR test was not “valid and reliable.” Chief Justice Scott Brister wrote that the district court should not have blocked the ratings’ release. “Millions of dollars and thousands of hours... TEA to release latest A-F school ratings
Round Rock ISD will renovate a property at 9900 Spectrum Dr., Round Rock, to serve as a future career and technical education center. In June, district officials approved the selection of Corgan Associates, Inc. as the architect for this renovation project. The details Trustees approved by consent a proposal to use $948,750 in bond funds to pay for the architectural design of the CTE center June 17. Remember this? RRISD paid $37.75 million for the facility, the district announced in April. That is $15 million lower than the approved cost for a facility to house CTE programming. The savings will be used for a facility remodel to better support RRISD students. Design for new CTE center underway
Legal action around A-F system Date Action 2023 Aug. 15 Annual deadline to issue A-F ratings Aug. 24
Districts sue TEA with concerns over 2023 rating system TEA delays release of 2023 ratings, originally set for Sept. 28 Travis County district court blocks release of 2023 ratings Second suit filed; Travis County district court blocks 2024 ratings Following an in-person hearing, Travis County district judge further blocks 2024 ratings
Sept. 12
Oct. 26
2024 Aug. 12
Sept. 18
2025 April 3
State appeals court rules 2023 ratings can be issued April 24 2023 ratings are released to the public July 3 State appeals court rules 2024 ratings can be issued SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS 15TH COURT OF APPEALS/ COMMUNITY IMPACT have been invested in creating the A to F ratings system; courts can decide only whether it is legal, not whether it is wise or fair,” Brister wrote. Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican who has frequently criticized lawsuits chal- lenging the A-F system, called the July 3 ruling a “major legal victory” in a July 8 statement. During Texas’ regular legislative session, which ended June 2, Bettencourt authored legislation that would have made it harder for school districts to sue over the accountability system.
Future career and technical education center
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RRISD to negotiate for new worksite health clinic
Services offered The clinic will provide a variety of services to district staff, including:
Round Rock ISD will soon begin negotiations with Marathon Health for a future worksite health clinic, after trustees gave administrators the go-ahead June 17. What you need to know Trustees unanimously approved a measure to allow the district to enter into contract nego- tiations with the healthcare provider to con- struct and operate a worksite clinic for district employees. RRISD Chief of Human Resources Eddie Curran said the effort is a cost containment measure, as the district has observed a 15% increase in health costs since 2021 under its current self-funded
health insurance. Curran also added that having a worksite health clinic available to employees will help reduce out-of-pocket costs to district staff, as well as wait times. The details District timelines call for construction to end in January 2026. Marathon Health will commit just over $1.7 million in start-up costs to build and implement the worksite clinic in exchange for a 10-year contract. At the end of the 10-year period, the district would own the property, Cur- ran said. The facility is estimated to cost about $3.35 million to operate, according to the district.
Primary and preventative care
Men’s and women’s health
Mental health
General wellness
Condition Management
Urgent Care
Pharmacy
SOURCE: ROUND ROCK ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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CEDAR PARK - FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION
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