Texas’ delayed accountability assessments are denying parents and students an opportunity to address career gaps.
— Mary Lynn Pruneda, Senior Policy Advisor, Texas 2036
AUSTIN, Texas, USA, August 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Today, employers and business associations expressed concern about the impact of a lawsuit filed by Texas school districts in the 201st Judicial District of Travis County (Case No. D-1-GN-24-005018: Pecos Barstow-Toya Independent School District, Crandall Independent School District, Forney Independent School District, Fort Stockton Independent School District, and Kingsville Independent School District Plaintiffs v. Mike Morath as School Board Commissioner). The lawsuit seeks to delay the release of school district performance scores. This data, which makes up the state’s Air Force Accountability System, is intended to show parents, students, businesses and taxpayers how well schools are preparing students for life after high school, including careers, college and the military.
The AF accountability system, created by the Texas Legislature in 2017, was fully implemented for just one year, the 2018-2019 school year. Since then, parents, students and businesses have been unable to access those school performance metrics because of disruptions caused by the pandemic and school district lawsuits that prevented the scores from being released.
Without these performance indicators being made public, Texas families and communities know nothing about whether their students are adequately prepared for the future. This lack of transparency prevents the state and communities from working together to collaborate and work with school districts to improve educational opportunities for students.
Currently, only 69% of Texas students graduate ready for work or college, and this data could have major implications for their opportunities and the state’s economic prosperity.
“Texas is the economic engine of our nation. We attract businesses from all over the country, but those businesses are forced to operate in a vacuum, without the data they need to make informed operational and strategic decisions,” said Taylor Lundin, executive vice president and chief policy officer for the Greater Houston Partnership.
A poll of Texas voters found that in fall 2023, nearly half of Texas voters expressed concern about the prospects for future generations, with the majority supporting raising standards to prepare more students for college or a career. In the poll, 80% of Texas voters expressed support for the Texas Education Agency’s proposed effort to raise the bar on school grading. The new framework would significantly raise the bar for earning an “A” grade, requiring 88% of students to graduate with college or career readiness. The 2017 bar was set at 60% of students graduating with college or career readiness to earn an A.
“This legislative session, the Legislature is considering investing billions of dollars more in public education,” said Mary Lynn Pruneda, senior policy advisor for Texas 2036. “Due to ongoing litigation, lawmakers must make this important decision without the necessary data on school district performance. It’s difficult to push for increased investment in our public schools while at the same time not informing lawmakers about how our schools are performing.”
“By blocking the release of these scores, this latest lawsuit deprives parents, students, and local leaders of critical information about the quality of our public education system, putting our state’s future workforce and economic success at risk. It’s time to prioritize transparency and accountability in our public education system so all Texas students can succeed after high school.
To learn more about our efforts to hold schools accountable for preparing Texas students for college, careers or military service, visit https://texas2036.org/student-readiness/ .
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About Texas 2036: Texas 2036 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank committed to ensuring Texas remains the best place to live, work and raise a family in 2036 and beyond, our bicentennial year. Texas 2036 uses data to shape public policy, focusing on education, health and economic mobility to create a sustainable, prosperous future for all Texans.
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