Posted 5:47 pm Thursday, November 01, 2012
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10 East Texas schools join state-level appeal against Texas Education Agency
By EMILY GUEVARA
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
At least 10 area school districts are a part of a state-level appeal against the Texas Education Agency claiming it acted without Legislative authority and denied districts due process in its efforts to comply with federal mandates.
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
At least 10 area school districts are a part of a state-level appeal against the Texas Education Agency claiming it acted without Legislative authority and denied districts due process in its efforts to comply with federal mandates.
The appeal filed in the State Office of Administrative Hearings today calls on the TEA to withdraw its federal Adequate Yearly Progress regulations, wipe out the past nine years of federal ratings and start AYP implementation over again, according to a news release from the Texas Association of Community Schools, which help organized the appeal.
Adequate Yearly Progress is a federal rating system for school districts and campuses that was implemented as part of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Under the system, a certain percentage of students must pass state assessments in math and reading/English Language Arts to meet AYP.
School districts that receive certain federal funds and fail to meet AYP in the same area for several consecutive years must implement certain measures.
As passing standards have increased annually, the number of school districts and campuses missing AYP has increased statewide.
TEA sought a waiver from U.S. Department of Education this year that would have suspended the ratings for one year while Texas implemented new state assessments. However, that was denied.
A TEA spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the appeal, but declined to comment further.
Under the system, a certain percentage of students must pass state assessments in math and reading/English Language Arts to meet AYP.
School districts that receive certain federal funds and fail to meet AYP in the same area for several consecutive years must implement certain measures.
As passing standards have increased annually, the number of school districts and campuses missing AYP has increased statewide.
TEA sought a waiver from U.S. Department of Education this year that would have suspended the ratings for one year while Texas implemented new state assessments. However, that was denied.
A TEA spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the appeal, but declined to comment further.
