Latest TEA ratings out, STAAR future in question

The report cards are in for school districts across the state, and Chambers County schools received grades ranging from As to Ds from the Texas Education Agency, and lawmakers may make significant changes to testing assessments going forward.

Locally, the Anahuac Independent School District achieved an overall grade of C, with Anahuac High School leading the way, earning a grade of B.

Results were not as high at Anahuac Elementary and Anahuac Middle Schools, with both garnering Ds. Anahuac Primary School received a C.

Barbers Hill Independent School District delivered with As across the board at all eight campuses in the district.

East Chambers Independent School District also performed well, earning an overall B rating.

The high school, elementary and primary campuses all received high Bs, nearing As. The junior high received a C.

Locally, a group of superintendents, including AISD Superintendent Cody Abshire, Ed. D., have spoken out about the TEA system, believing that it does not adequately assess students and education efforts in schools.

That belief is on display in Austin currently, as lawmakers are presently looking to overhaul the system, with the STAAR test in the crosshairs.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt is the author of Senate Bill 8, which would replace the STAAR with three exams designed to measure student success fairly, return classroom time to teachers, and protect taxpayers from costly public school accountability ratings lawsuits, according to information from Bettencourt's office.

The three exams would be administered at three points in the year and serve as a means to measure student growth throughout the year, with the final exam being the mandatory test required by the Federal government.

District 23 Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson is a co-author of House Bill 4, as the House makes efforts to bring sweeping changes to how Texas students are assessed each year.

Education committees in the House and Senate both passed their own versions, and they were expected to be voted on by the full membership in each chamber.

For the complete current results, please visit txschools.gov to review them.