Improved A-F Grades for Dallas ISD Schools
Five Dallas ISD schools saw higher A-F accountability grades after district officials learned that thousands of students were awarded marks that were too low on the state standardized test. When the Dallas Independent School District asked the Texas Education Agency to rescore over 5,000 STAAR tests earlier this year, more than one-third of the exams they submitted for review came back with higher scores. Each test carries weight, as STAAR results fuel the state’s academic accountability system, which assigns A-F grades to every school and district.
The rescored responses caused five DISD schools to earn higher A-F grades compared to the district’s initial projections before the review, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said. Young Men’s Leadership Academy was projected to receive an F for the second year in row, Elizalde said. Failing ratings can trigger significant consequences if the school doesn’t improve quickly, including the possibility of a state takeover. After 44 STAAR tests from the campus were rescored, 18 came back with additional points. The school ultimately received a D.
Which Schools Improved?
The other schools that improved were John Lewis Social Justice Academy, which went from a D to a C, Seagoville Elementary from a C to a B, Henry B. Gonzalez Personalized Learning Academy from a C to a B and Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy from a B to an A. Last year, district officials requested the review of more than 4,600 STAAR tests and roughly 43% came back with additional points.
What Do the Improved Grades Mean?
“It does not appear to me that this is a one-off,” Elizalde said. “Last year might have been, but now I’ve got two years in a row. Once is an outlier, twice is a pattern.” To Elizalde, the improved A-F grades demonstrate that Texas needs to work with districts to recalibrate how it grades STAAR exams. Otherwise, she said, district officials and families will lose confidence in the state’s evaluations of educators, students and schools. Parents often consider the A-F ratings when deciding where to enroll their children.
“There’s way too many discrepancies,” Elizalde said. Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the district’s improved scores show “how our system is designed to provide accurate feedback.” “You won’t be able to rescore a kid’s SAT test … You don’t get to rescore the AP exam,” he said. “We do that because we believe in making sure that we give our schools, our educators, our parents, access to the most information possible.”
How Does the Rescoring System Work?
The agency does not calculate schools’ accountability ratings until after the rescore window closes. TEA charges $50 per appeal, though districts have to pay only if the score remains the same. Students’ scores cannot be lowered during a review. The number of points can either go up or remain unchanged. Elizalde said the rescoring system “worked to some extent.”
“On the other hand, we still had to pay for those that got rescored that did not improve,” she said, referencing the $50 price tag per appeal. “So how do you do that in a way that doesn’t disadvantage a district that may not be able to pay for those tests to be rescored?” Texas students took more than 3 million reading tests last school year. So far, roughly 21,600 of those have been submitted for rescoring and nearly 6,200 — 28% — saw changes.
A-F Scores and Their Significance
The state’s A-F grades are based largely on standardized test scores. The formula takes into account three categories for the grades: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. “Student achievement” considers how children performed on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, tests. For high schools, it also weighs graduation rates and other metrics.
“School progress” factors in how much improvement students made year over year or how well they did in relation to comparable campuses. “Closing the gaps” looks at how schools educate children in different groups, such as those living in poverty or receiving special education services. Seventy percent of the grade is based on either student achievement or school progress — whichever is the higher grade — while closing the gaps makes up 30%.
Concerns Over Automated Scoring
The improved ratings come as frustration over the way Texas uses computers to grade student essays on STAAR tests has continued to mount. When tests are rescored, a human reviews them. Several district leaders across the state zeroed in on the use of automated scoring in a 2024 lawsuit against Morath, which sought to block the release of the annual A-F ratings.
After the state education agency began using computers in 2023, many district officials noticed a large number of high schoolers scored zeroes on their written responses. Scores generated this way “threaten to unfairly — and unlawfully — lower the A–F ratings of many school districts and campuses,” the lawsuit states. A court ruled against them in July, saying the state brought forward experts who “supported the validity and reliability of automated scoring in great detail.”
District Performance and Future Goals
This year’s improved scores also mean DISD is a step closer to Elizalde’s goal of having zero D or F scores by the 2026-27 school year. Overall, the district earned a B, up from a C in 2023. Sixty Dallas schools earned an A, while another 103 scored a B. Two campuses received Fs, down from 24 last year. Nearly 93% of DISD’s 228 campuses earned an A, B or C.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the improved A-F grades for Dallas ISD schools demonstrate the importance of accurate scoring and the need for the state to work with districts to recalibrate how it grades STAAR exams. The rescoring system has shown to be effective, but it also highlights the need for a more equitable and efficient system. As the district continues to work towards its goal of having zero D or F scores, it is crucial for the state to address the concerns over automated scoring and ensure that the evaluation system is fair and reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the A-F accountability system?
A: The A-F accountability system is a method used by the state of Texas to evaluate the performance of schools and districts. It assigns grades from A to F based on standardized test scores and other metrics.
Q: How are STAAR tests scored?
A: STAAR tests are scored using a combination of automated and human scoring. The automated scoring system uses computers to grade multiple-choice questions, while human scorers review and grade written responses.
Q: Can schools appeal their A-F ratings?
A: Yes, schools can appeal their A-F ratings if they believe that the rating is inaccurate. The appeal process involves resubmitting tests for rescoring, and the district may be required to pay a fee for each test that is rescored.
Q: What is the significance of the A-F ratings?
A: The A-F ratings are significant because they provide a measure of a school’s or district’s performance and can impact the decisions of parents, educators, and policymakers. They can also trigger consequences for underperforming schools, such as state takeover or closure.
