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State Board outlines accountability-hearing process for districts with failing schools
Summary
State Board staff briefed the committee on newly finalized rules for accountability hearings under TISA: eligibility (two consecutive F’s or D then F), hearings scheduled the week of March 23, 18 hearings planned, required attendees from each LEA, and the board’s process for recommending corrective action or audits.
The State Board of Education and staff described a newly codified accountability-hearing process designed to provide public review and corrective-action recommendations for local education agencies that meet statutory eligibility criteria. Executive Director Sarah Morrison and Vice Chair Daryl Cobbins said the board finalized a rule and related policy after more than two years of stakeholder engagement.
Nathan James of State Board staff summarized the eligibility criteria: an LEA is called for a hearing if it has at least one school with two consecutive F letter grades, or a D followed by an F. Charter schools follow the same criteria. Hearings will be held the week of March 23; the board plans 18 hearings ranging from 60 to 75 minutes each and will require attendance by LEA leaders (director of schools, school board chair, chief academic officer and chief finance officer) so those who set strategy and allocate resources are available to answer questions.
Board members said the hearings are intended to be public, transparent conversations that can lead to corrective action plans or, if necessary, audits. "This process allows for reflection and collaboration and determining next steps to improve outcomes for the students," Nathan James told the committee. State Board members said the hearing panel will consist of a three-member committee that will decide immediately after each hearing whether to recommend corrective action and whether to require a follow-up audit.
Committee members pressed the board on the limitations of letter grades. Representative Haston noted that achievement accounts for 50% of the letter grade and relies heavily on EOC results from freshman and sophomore years, raising concerns that some CTE strength and later outcomes may not be reflected. Representative Kinsey asked whether one failing school in a large district should trigger the same hearing response as multiple failing schools; board staff reiterated the statutory criteria and said the hearings are a first step to learn root causes and pursue targeted corrective actions rather than automatic punitive measures.
The board committed to returning to the legislature with feedback after the first year of hearings and to coordinate with the Department of Education to avoid duplication of effort in school-improvement work.
Next steps: the State Board will hold the scheduled hearings and the three-member hearing committee will make recommendation decisions after each session; the board expects to report findings and recommendations back to the legislature following the inaugural year of hearings.
