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Texas School Ratings With New Formula

By Shelley Kofler, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-915973.mp3

Dallas, TX – The Texas Education Agency has released academic ratings that give three-fourths of school districts the highest possible grade of exemplary. But the increased improvement is partly due to a formula that credits students for improvement even if they've failed statewide TAKS tests. KERA's Shelley Kofler explains, and talks to a principal whose school gets top honors under any measure.

If you just look at the demographics you might not pick Bellaire Elementary in Hurst as a school most likely to succeed. But you would be wrong. More than 90 percent of the children come from families with so little income they qualify for free or reduced priced school lunches.

Some 68 percent of the children are Hispanic children who need extra help to perfect their English. Three years ago the state rated Bellaire Elementary as an acceptable campus. For the past two years it's been recognized.

But Bellaire Elementary's Principal Livia Mansoor beams as she announces that this year her campus is rated exemplary.

Mansoor: We are of course watching the reading levels because if you have deficiencies in reading then that affects all the other subjects. This past year math was also an area we targeted. We are very careful to look at each and every child and almost create an individual plan for that child. What else can we do for this child? That has been a secret for our success.

Bellaire Elementary received an exemplary rating the old fashioned way- its children scored 90 percent or higher in all subject areas, across all ethnic groups.

But many other schools across the state have seen their rating boosted by a new formula. For the second year in a row the state has applied the Texas Projection Measure, the TPM. The TPM gives credit for student improvement and may count failing students as passing if they're expected to pass in the future.

The TEA's DeEtta Culbertson explains.

Culbertson: The growth measure is required in both federal and state law. Districts wanted some way to show their own growth overall. So they asked to give them credit for that growth. This enables the teachers to work with students who are maybe just at the edge and to help them to achieve that actual passing to focus on those areas of weakness.

North Texas' two largest districts, Dallas and Fort Worth are each acceptable under this year's rating system.

Fort Worth says its students made record gains in test scores and its number of unacceptable schools has dropped from 12 to 5 in the past year.

In Dallas the number of exemplary schools has risen 70 percent in the past year. Its number of unacceptable schools has decreased from 21 to 15.

Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa acknowledges the special TPM formula made a difference but says student achievement also rose without it.

Because of criticism TEA Commissioner Robert Scott has said he'll consider eliminating the formula's use next year.

But at Bellaire Elementary there's no need to parse results and Principal Mansoor says that feels great.

Mansoor: Our school has worked so hard and smartly to get this rating.

Email Shelley Kofler

Link to 2010 Texas School Accountability Ratings: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2010/index.html