San Antonio school ratings see overall improvement after pandemic years
Texas education reporters are digging into the Texas Education Agency’s report cards for school systems across the state showing improvement from 2019 despite a rough COVID-19 pandemic period over the past two years. In San Antonio, the Express-News reports that some Southside school districts are showing vast improvement from 2019.
One school jumped from failing to passing grades while others showed improvement to even higher passing grades, according to data from TEA. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told reporters, including with the Express-News, that San Antonio schools are joining a statewide trend.
“There are more high performing campuses this year than there were in 2019. There are fewer lower performing campuses this year than there were in 2019,” Morath told reporters.
TEA grades by looking at STAAR test performance and improvement, and how well schools educate disadvantaged students. The grades shocked administrators in schools districts like Southside ISD’s Heritage Elementary Principal Elise Puente, who didn’t expect the grade they received.
Here are some of the key takeaways from TEA’s new ratings.
“We are in shock”
- Heritage Elementary School in Southside ISD had an F rating in 2019.
- This year the school received an A rating, the Express-News reports.
- Heritage is one of seven schools that saw ratings jump drastically.
- Six Southside ISD schools received F and C ratings in 2019. Those schools received B ratings this year.
“We anticipated that we would be a B, in the state accountability, because as each month progressed, we saw the growth in our students,” Puente told the Express-News. “The A is just… we are in shock. I’m still in shock.”
Other ratings
- Six Somerset ISD schools received A and B ratings. Overall the district received a B, one rating higher than 2019.
- East Central ISD didn’t fare as well, receiving a “Not Rated” designation with a score of 69, which keeps it from the legal ramifications of a failing grade like closure.
- The district said in a statement that it has changed the schedules for elementary schools to allow for more time with math and social studies as well as adding more staff.
- ECISD will also conduct a curriculum audit this fall.
Overall improvement
- Of the 8,451 Texas schools, 27.9% received an A rating, 46.1% received a B, 19.4% received a C rating, and 6.7% received “Not Rated,” the Texas Tribune reported.
- This year, the TEA only graded on an A to C level to account for pandemic interruptions that forced students into remote learning.
- Morath said to reporters on Thursday, August 11 that TEA will not submit ” submit our campuses to interventions” this year.
Search through the Express-News’ collection of San Antonio rankings here.
