Austin ISD given C under new state accountability; number of F-rated schools rises

Austin Independent School District officials briefed the board April 24 on the first statewide accountability ratings issued under the Texas Education Agency’s redesigned system, saying the district received an overall C for 2023 and that the distribution of campus letter grades shifted sharply after changes to the STAAR exam and rating methodology.

Dr. Jacob Reach, Chief of Governmental Relations and Board Services, told trustees the TEA rating released that day applied a new “STAR 2” test and higher standards for college, career and military readiness. “The 2023 ratings provide the first opportunity to see how the changes to the STAR assessment and accountability system have impacted outcomes,” Reach said during the presentation.

Why it matters: TEA’s changes — including a cap on multiple-choice items, introduction of technology-enhanced questions, writing at every grade level and a new growth methodology — raised the bar for many campuses. As a result, district staff said, campus ratings shifted substantially between 2022 and 2023 and require new district planning where schools fell into lower categories.

Key findings presented by district staff: - AISD was assigned an overall letter grade of C (77) for 2023. Reach said district and campus grades feed the district rating proportionally rather than as a simple average. - The number of AISD schools rated A fell (39 in 2022 to 24 in 2023) and F-rated campuses rose (6 in 2022 to 30 in 2023), district materials showed. - Overall, 48 campuses held or improved their rating versus 2022; 64 declined. The district noted 16 campuses dropped from a B in 2022 to an F in 2023. - Thirty-nine AISD campuses earned at least one distinction designation in 2023 (105 total distinctions across categories). Two campuses — LAHSA and Travis Heights Elementary — earned all available distinctions, the presentation said.

How the system changed: Reach and colleagues emphasized several methodological shifts between 2022 and 2023, including the new STAAR item types and a revised growth model that measures increases in performance levels rather than only year-to-year point growth. They also described a higher threshold for an A in the CCAR (college, career and military readiness) indicator: “Schools in 2022, if 60 percent of their graduates achieved college, career and military readiness, their school earned an A in that area. But in 2023, that same score would result in a letter, a grade of D,” Reach said.

District context and next steps: Trustees pressed staff on what the results mean for campuses at risk of heightened state intervention. District staff noted 30 campuses received an F in the 2023 release; three campuses named in prior briefings were identified as having consecutive low ratings and must submit turnaround plans by state deadlines. Staff said the district posted campus-level results on BoardDocs and directs stakeholders to texaschools.gov for state publications.

Staff and trustees emphasized the near-term work ahead: analyzing whether declines reflect measurement changes or programmatic issues and preparing campus turnaround plans where required. The presentation also reiterated that 2024 accountability results remain tied up in separate litigation and had not been released at the time of the briefing.

Ending: Trustees asked district staff to make campus-level results and explanations more accessible to families and to continue to report back as the district completes required turnaround plans and monitors implications for federal and state accountability labels.