TEA’s Revised Grading System Spurs 16 School District Lawsuits in Response to the Alterations
Hello SAISD Parents and San Antonio Community,
This week, let’s review how TEA will grade our schools in 2023. The new grading system is called a refresh system because the new 2023 ratings will not be comparable to any other scoring system before this year. The STAAR’s tests will still be used, and they will look at how many students meet grade level or master the tests. They want to see if students raise their reading levels and close other learning gaps. The new grading system will also change how our high schools are rated. The state will check to see if all graduating will be ready for college, career, or military readiness. This was a system they came up with due to the pandemic after reports stated that 37% of our seniors who graduated were not ready for their next step in life. The new refresh system will make it harder for our schools to get an A or B. The other change is that the SBOE is in the process of rewriting the curriculum for different subjects.
16 school districts are suing TEA over the new rating system, which is coming out as TEA has resigned the STAAR’S tests. The new system that’s in place would give some of our schools from an A rating to a D because of the new accountability system. This could cause many of our schools to lose funding and teachers. It seems that TEA is causing our public schools more issues to close these schools down because they want vouchers. Let me ask all my readers this question: If we are going to the polls to vote on the homeowner’s tax breaks, then why can’t we bring the school vouchers to the ballot in November as well? This would help us figure out what our parents in Texas really want for their children.
Lastly, my parents receiving childcare services know that we could see many childcare programs closed at the end of September. This is due to the end of the CARES Act and ARPA; these programs were used to help our families. So, now we’re facing another battle as child care services will go down and could cause some to lose their jobs. All this is because the pandemic money is being cut off, so now we must find grants or other programs to help our parents needing child care.
If anyone has any questions or concerns please email at lena.lopez@saobserver.com.
Have a Blessed Week,
Lena Lopez
