Yesterday the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released their 2013 ratings for all of Texas schools. The last ratings were released in 2011, with a break in 2012 to prepare for the new system. The new ratings are slightly different, but still are based heavily on standardized test scores.
2013 TEA School Ratings for Austin Schools Explained
In the first year of the new rating system, TEA will label each school and district with a “Met Standard” or “Improvement Required”. In order to have a met standard rating, the school must have met minimum standards in 4 areas: Student Achievement, Student Progress, Closing Performance Gaps and Postsecondary Readiness (this one applies only to high schools and districts).
2013 TEA Distinction Designations
Those campuses that have earned the Met Standard rating, are eligible for the following distinction designations in 2013:
Top 25% Student Progress – Campus was rated in the top 25% of performance for Index 2 (Student Progress) in relation to its campus comparison group.
Academic Achievement in Reading/English language arts (ELA) – Campus was rated in the top 25% in relation to its campus comparison on 50% or more for elementary and middle schools or 33% or more for high schools.
Academic Achievement in Mathematics – Campus was rated in the top 25% in relation to its campus comparison group on 50% or more for elementary and middle schools or 44% or more for high schools.
These designations put these campuses over and above the Met Standards rating.
Where Can You Get Additional Ratings for Austin Area Schools?
With the old rating system (Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, Academically Unacceptable) it was easier to quickly evaluate the quality of schools. This new rating system will take some additional research to really drill down and understand school quality.
Here are two additional resources that rank public schools you can use to evaluate the quality of Austin area schools.
- SchoolDigger.com
- GreatSchools.org
Best Way to Evaluate Austin Area Schools
If you’re looking to enroll your children in an Austin area public school, our recommendation would be to personally visit the school to get a feel for the type of education your child will receive there. Ratings are certainly important and are a great starting point. But, there is no substitute for a personal visit to evaluate the quality of the school and administration.
Watch for Updates to School and Neighborhood Guides
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be updating our school pages, city and neighborhood guides to reflect the new ratings. In the meantime, you can visit TEA’s website with ratings for every school: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2013/index.html
Looking for a Home in One of Austin’s Best School Districts?
Check out our Top 3 Austin School Districts and Best School Districts Around Austin posts for more info. Then, call us at (512) 827-8323 or email us at info@11OaksRealty.com to schedule a no obligation consultation. We’ll show you how our combined 55+ year of experience representing buyers will help you evaluate homes and ensure you don’t overpay.
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