In Austin, six campuses are unacceptable, including nationally praised Anderson High
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By Raven L. Hill and Matthew Obernauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, August 2, 2005
More Texas schools were ranked academically unacceptable on the state's report card released Monday by the Texas Education Agency.
Fewer than 30 percent of the state's 7,908 campuses and fewer than 15 percent of the state's more than 1,200 districts received the top two ratings, exemplary or recognized, and the number of campuses earning the lowest rankings increased.
The number of schools rated unacceptable nearly quadrupled, from 95 in 2004 to 364 in 2005.
Last year, 45 percent of schools earned the top two rankings.
The state system grades schools and districts as exemplary, recognized, academically acceptable or academically unacceptable based on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills or an alternate test for special education students, and on graduation and dropout rates.
This is the second year that the state has issued ratings under the tougher accountability system.
In the Austin school district, which was rated academically acceptable overall, officials were surprised to find high-performing Anderson High School on the academically unacceptable list along with Johnston High School; Pearce, Porter and Webb middle schools; and Pecan Springs Elementary School. A juvenile detention center was also rated unacceptable.
The number of schools in the district receiving the lowest ranking increased from five to six this year.
Meanwhile, the number of schools that received the highest rating, exemplary, dropped from seven to four: Casis, Highland Park, Lee and Hill elementary schools.
"We are the first to recognize that there is much more work to be done," Austin Superintendent Pat Forgione said. "While we are pleased that the district as a whole has been rated academically acceptable, we are disappointed that six of our campuses have not met the standards (of the state).
"We need more funds to meet the needs of all of our students and all of our schools. . . . These students need exposure in reading and math, tutoring, personal interventions, and those needs cost money."
Details on individual campus and district results are posted on the state agency's Web site.
The agency announces district and school ratings twice a year. On Monday, the agency released accountability ratings, the state's standards.
Next week, the agency plans to announce how schools and districts fared under a federal rating system that grades "adequate yearly progress," which is based on No Child Left Behind standards.
Austin district officials on Monday outlined steps that would be taken over the upcoming school year to improve student performance. Forgione called Anderson's placement on the worst-ranked list "the biggest surprise of my tenure."
Anderson -- which had been ranked by various publications, including Newsweek, as one of the nation's top schools -- was deemed academically unacceptable because the school's special education students failed to meet the state benchmarks.
"It does give us all a wake-up call that every campus must serve all its children," Forgione said. "Our public is going to be surprised that one of the best high schools in America . . . is going to have to be put in the classification of unacceptable."
Anderson Principal David Kernwein will get additional staff to help coordinate the special education program. Kernwein said Monday that he plans to meet regularly with the special education department "to see what resources might be necessary to see that every student can achieve at a high level."
"I'll tell you what'll happen," Kernwein said. "It'll get fixed."
Johnston, which will be split into three academies this year, was one of three schools -- along with Pecan Springs and Webb -- to be declared academically unacceptable for at least two consecutive years.
Among other changes, each school that was declared academically unacceptable will increase mathematics and English language arts study time during the school day.
Forgione said he is optimistic that new principals and other leadership changes at Johnston and Pecan Springs will bring about positive changes at the schools.
Two other Central Texas districts -- Bastrop and Manor -- also had one or more campuses rated unacceptable.
State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley, who called the statewide ratings "mixed but not unexpected," attributed the increase in low rankings primarily to low performance on the math and science portions of the exam and a new, harder TAKS-aligned exam given to special education students. It was also the first time that kind of test was given to ninth- and 10th-grade students.
"One of the great benefits of the Texas accountability system bottom line is that it shines a light on areas in which districts and schools need to work harder," Neeley said. "Every superintendent, teacher and principal strives for that prestigious exemplary rating. I guarantee you, given time and resources, they can get there."
All Central Texas districts received ratings of academically acceptable or recognized.
In Hays County, two San Marcos school district campuses saw their exemplary ratings slide. Bowie Elementary is now rated acceptable, and Crockett Elementary is now recognized. San Marcos Superintendent Sylvester Perez was out of town at an education conference, and officials said he couldn't comment on his district's ratings, which he had not seen.
The Eanes school district, which earned a recognized rating, had the area's largest number of exemplary campuses. Five of its nine schools received the state's most prestigious rating.
District officials in Williamson County also discussed plans to raise student achievement.
Round Rock acting Superintendent Steve Flores said he wants to see more improvement in achievement test scores in all subject areas at the high school level. He said scores on the district's bilingual campuses have improved significantly.
"We are very proud of what our students, teachers and principals are accomplishing, especially in view of the tougher requirements," Flores said. "Our numbers of commended students are increasing, which shows we are setting the highest standards for all our students."
Linda Simonson, assistant superintendent for instruction in Georgetown, said more attention will be directed toward improving math in grades seven through 11 and science in grades five and 10.
"Although the district narrowly missed the recognized rating by a small number of student scores in science, we made very strong performance gains in science as compared to our performance in 2004," Simonson said. "At the district level, we increased student performance in every subject and every student group from 2004. We are very proud of these gains and attribute the increasing student success to our very dedicated teachers, staff and principals."
rhill@statesman.com; 445-3620 mobernauer@statesman.com; 445-3658
Best and worst schools
The Texas Education Agency rates schools and districts as exemplary, recognized, acceptable and unacceptable. These are area schools with the best and worst ratings. For other Central Texas district and school ratings, visit the agency's Web site at www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2005/index.html. Austin school district (district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
Casis Elementary
Highland Park Elementary
Lee Elementary
Hill Elementary
Unacceptable schools
Johnston High School
Anderson High School
Pearce Middle School
Porter Middle School
Webb Middle School
Pecan Springs Elementary
Bastrop school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
Bastrop High School
Bastrop Middle School
Del Valle school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
None
Eanes school district
(district overall rated recognized)
Exemplary schools
Eanes Elementary
Cedar Creek Elementary
Valley View Elementary
Forest Trail Elementary
Bridge Point Elementary
Unacceptable schools
None
Georgetown school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
None
Hays school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
None
Leander school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
Canyon Ridge Middle School
Steiner Ranch Elementary
Unacceptable schools
None
Manor school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
Excel High School
Bluebonnet Trail Elementary
Pflugerville school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
None
Round Rock school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
Laurel Mountain Elementary
Pond Springs Elementary
Fern Bluff Elementary
Cactus Ranch Elementary
Unacceptable schools
None
San Marcos school district
(district overall rated acceptable)
Exemplary schools
None
Unacceptable schools
None
What the ratings mean
How the Texas Education Agency rates schools and districts:
Exemplary -- 90 percent of all students and of each of four student groups (African American, Hispanic, white, low-income) passed the reading/English language arts, writing, social studies, math and science sections of the state achievement test; 90 percent of special education students passed the alternative state test; 95 percent of high school students graduated; and the dropout rate was 0.2 percent or lower.
Recognized -- 70 percent overall and of each group passed each subject area test; 70 percent passed the special education alternative test; 85 percent graduated; dropout rate was 0.7 percent or lower.
Academically acceptable -- 50 percent passing rates for reading/English language arts, writing and social studies, 35 percent for math; 25 percent for science; 50 percent for special education alternative test; 75 percent graduated, obtained a General Educational Development certificate or were still in school after four years; dropout rate was 2 percent or lower. Schools and districts rated acceptable can jump to recognized, in some cases, with credit for improvements on graded categories.
Academically unacceptable -- Results in at least one of the categories fell below acceptable level. Schools and districts can jump to acceptable rating, in some cases, with credit for improvements on graded categories.
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