Texas School Accountability System
The Texas A-F school accountability system is a tool used by the state of Texas to evaluate and provide ratings to public school districts and campuses. Ratings reflect student performance on standardized tests, graduation rates, and college, career, and military readiness.
Due to significant changes to standardized testing and the accountability system implemented during the 2022-23 academic year, the state has not released accountability ratings since 2022. Now, with the release of updated ratings, it is important to understand how these changes impact the evaluation of Texas public schools.
Key Changes to the Accountability System
STAAR 2.0
In 2023, Texas introduced a redesigned State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test, known as STAAR 2.0. The new test format included new question types that went beyond traditional multiple-choice questions. All students, starting in third grade, are now required to navigate:
Short constructed responses
Multi-select questions
Drag-and-drop items
Inline choice questions
Revised A-F Methodology
The state of Texas has updated the methodology, or process, for determining A-F ratings. As a result of the changes, comparing current ratings to those from previous years is not straightforward because the criteria for schools has become more rigorous.
China Spring ISD "What If" Rating
To fully understand the impact of these changes, China Spring ISD received a "what if" rating by applying the new accountability criteria to the China Spring ISD 2022 accountability rating. The "what if" rating demonstrates how the updated accountability system will impact ratings, even when actual student performance remains consistent.
2022 District Accountability Rating
A (94%)
2022 "What If" District Accountability Rating
B (89%)
The "what if" accountability rating applies the revised accountability methodology.
Domain 1 - Student Achievement
Domain 1 measures overall student performance. To calculate Domain 1, the state of Texas considers the following items:
Elementary, Intermediate and Middle School:
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
High School:
STAAR Data
College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR)
Graduation Rates
College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR) has undergone significant changes since 2022. Prior to 2022, public school districts were required to earn 60 points to receive an A rating. Now, public school districts are required to earn at least 88 points to receive an A rating. The table below illustrates the changes to CCMR measurement. Districts who once earned 48 points and secured a B rating - would now earn an F under the revised system.
CCMR Ratings | CCMR Raw Score Cut Points | |
2018-2022 | 2023-Present | |
(A) | 60 | 88 |
(B) | 48 | 78 |
(C) | 39 | 64 |
(D) | 26 | 51 |
(F) | 25 or Lower | 50 or Lower |
2022 Domain 1 Rating
A (93%)
2022 "What If" Domain 1 Rating
B (88%)
The "what if" accountability rating applies the revised accountability methodology.
Domain 2 - School Progress
Domain 2 measures two areas: academic growth and relative performance. Academic growth measures the percentage of students that reported at least one year of STAAR growth. Relative performance compares each district with other districts who have similar socio-economic statuses.
2022 Domain 2 Rating
B (89%)
2022 "What If" Domain 2 Rating
B (82%)
The "what if" accountability rating applies the revised accountability methodology.
Domain 3 - Closing the Gaps
Domain 3 measures how well schools ensure that all student groups, including those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, English language learners, current special education students, and highly mobile students, achieve academically.
Domain 3 rating is calculated by comparing the actual performance of economically disadvantaged students to what would be expected based on their percentage in the school or district. The state of Texas has created a formula for this calculation that measures all student groups. If students fall in more than one group, their performance is included in the calculation multiple times.
2022 Domain 3 Rating
A (95%)
2022 "What If" Domain 3 Rating
A (92%)
The "what if" accountability rating applies the revised accountability methodology.
More Than a Letter Rating
At China Spring ISD, we believe that every student holds potential, and our mission is to nurture that potential through personalized learning experiences. While accountability ratings offer a glimpse into certain academic metrics, they do not capture the full scope of our students' growth. Our dedicated educators focus on creating environments where students thrive not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. We take pride in preparing students to become educated, productive citizens, ready to succeed in life.
