The Texas Education Agency released public school accountability ratings for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years on Aug. 15, wrapping up a legal battle that began nearly two years prior. Texans can find the updated accountability ratings for K-12 districts and individual campuses at www.txschools.gov.  The big picture: Across the state, most school districts and campuses maintained or improved their A-F ratings between the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school years. Of 1,208 districts, 24% received a higher rating, while 64% kept the same rating and 12% received a lower rating, TEA data shows.  Thirty-one percent of Texas’ 9,084 public school campuses received a higher grade in 2025. Meanwhile, 55% received the same grade and 15% received a lower grade. The TEA said that 757 campuses improved from a B or lower in 2024 to an A in 2025. view article

Connally, Lake Worth, Beaumont, Wichita Falls and Fort Worth school districts have all amassed five consecutive failing grades at one or more of its campuses, the threshold to trigger state action, a Texas Education Agency spokesperson confirmed with The Texas Tribune on Friday. view article

Test scores rose slightly after math scores previously fell last year.  New scores on the state's standardized test released on Friday show a slight improvement in both students’ reading and math scores over last year when math scores slipped.  The share of students meeting grade-level standards rose this year from 53% to 54% in reading and from 41% to 43% in math.  Students’ performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam is a window into their proficiency in math and reading skills — skills they’ll need to succeed after high school.  Early literacy can be a strong predictor of educational attainment and academic performance later in life. And having solid math skills early on sets up a pipeline to high-paying, in-demand STEM jobs. view article

Test scores rose slightly after math scores previously fell last year.  New scores on the state's standardized test released on Friday show a slight improvement in both students’ reading and math scores over last year when math scores slipped.  The share of students meeting grade-level standards rose this year from 53% to 54% in reading and from 41% to 43% in math.  Students’ performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam is a window into their proficiency in math and reading skills — skills they’ll need to succeed after high school.  Early literacy can be a strong predictor of educational attainment and academic performance later in life. And having solid math skills early on sets up a pipeline to high-paying, in-demand STEM jobs. view article

After years of legal delays, the Texas Education Agency released accountability ratings on Friday, showing how public schools performed in 2024 and 2025. The ratings paint a precarious picture for three Austin Independent School District campuses that have already undergone significant changes ahead of the new school year. view article

AUSTIN, TX – August 15, 2025 — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today released the 2025 A-F Accountability Ratings for public school systems and campuses across the state. Additionally, the delayed 2024 ratings have been made available to school systems and the public following the resolution of legal proceedings that previously prevented their release.   The release of the 2025 A-F Ratings reestablishes critical transparency for Texas families, communities and school leaders after two years of lawsuit-induced delays.   view article

FWISD touts more A-rated schools, academic progress in ratings. Is it enough to avoid state takeover? view article

An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found more than 60 instances of nepotism, self-dealing and conflicts of interest among 27 private schools that likely would have violated state laws had the schools been public. view article

In Bellville, a rich German heritage lingers in the last names hanging off storefronts, in the round "Turnverein" dance hall, and in the traditional sausages still sold at its meat market downtown.  For a place so steeped in history — the town was founded by a member of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred" — the 4,000-member enclave isn't short on novelty. Before reaching Bellville's medieval-style castle, a traveler passing through from Houston may be surprised not just by the Trump Burger chain's flagship restaurant and Austin County's imposing, Modernist courthouse, but by the innovation coming from within its own public school district.  wEvery Texas district receives an "A-F" rating from the Texas Education Agency each year. Based largely on results from students' State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams, particularly for elementary and middle schools, the ratings can potentially impact a district's reputation, enrollment, and, in cases of state takeovers, its ability to elect its own board leadership. view article

MIDLAND — La’Toya Mayberry is proud of many things.  She’s proud of her family’s West Texas roots. She’s proud of her two daughters, Aniyah and Erinn, two formidably academic athletes who are continuing the family’s basketball legacy.    And five years ago, she was proud of the Midland Independent School District. Its board of trustees had voted to rename a school carrying the name of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which she considered a stain on the community, to Legacy High School.  That pride may soon give way to shame. A new configuration of the Midland school board is set to consider reverting the school’s name to Midland Lee, affixing Lee’s legacy once more. A vote may come as early as Tuesday. view article

Arlington ISD’s enrollment could drop below 50,000 in the next seven years, a report recently presented to the school board revealed.  The presentation showed two factors are contributing to the possible drop off in enrollment: competition with charter schools and the waning enrollment of kindergarteners.  The stagnation of growth in the enrollment numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic is not an issue just isolated to Arlington ISD — it is affecting the entire state.  “We are still the fastest-growing state in the country and yet, we are seeing these low numbers,” demographer Rocky Gardiner told trustees in April.   Zonda Education, a Southlake-based demographic firm that works with the district, created the projections.  The overall enrollment will land around 49,000 students in 2032 and stay around that amount for the remainder of the 10-year stretch.   The district has lost more students than it has gained through new enrollment each year since the 2018-19 school year, according to Zonda Education.  view article

6 trending stories in the Austin area: New retail construction; Waterline tower updates; Chisholm Trail traffic pattern changes and more view article

The TEA commissioner said the state is watching Fort Worth ISD closely and might replace the school board. view article

Efforts to reform the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR tests, in Texas schools died a slow death in late spring. But in their special session, legislators may consider it again, with a bill to replace “end of year” state assessments with three shorter tests throughout the school year. Like many of my fellow Texas teachers, I’m watching with interest. STAAR has long been an imperfect standardized assessment on our students, damaging them and our schools. It’s time to say goodbye to STAAR. Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article311593848.html#storylink=cpy view article

HOUSTON, Texas – Houston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas, announced Tuesday that it expects 74% of its schools to receive an A or B rating in the state’s 2024-2025 accountability ratings.  This would be an increase from two years ago, when only 35% of HISD schools earned those ratings. view article

Zero Houston ISD schools received an "F" in the Texas Education Agency's A-F accountability ratings this year, while 18 received a "D," according to preliminary scores released by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles Tuesday afternoon.  In 2023, 121 of the district's 274 campuses received a "D" or "F" rating on the annual statewide ratings, which measure school achievement and progress primarily through State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams. Two years into the state takeover, the state's largest district had just 18, all of which were D's.  Nearly three-quarters of the district's students are now attending "A" and "B" rated schools, up from 35% two years ago, Miles said in a live presentation. view article

Julieta Crispín Castro arrived early for her first day of summer camp, ready to prepare for the state’s standardized test, when the 13-year-old learned that one of her favorite people at Dobie Middle School would not be around next fall.“I’m not qualified to come back,” English language arts teacher Tatiana Brown-Gomez told Crispín, borrowing language the Austin school district used to explain why she was laid off as part of a sweeping staff shakeup.  Crispín’s face deflated.    “What? That doesn't make any sense,” she said.  The Austin Independent School District fired Brown-Gomez, a handful of other teachers and the principal after Texas gave Dobie two consecutive F ratings under its accountability system, a state tool largely based on scores from STAAR, the state’s standardized test. view article

Several school districts in Texas have sued against the release of the STAAR tests to help determine schools' performance ratings. Kingsville Independent School District started that lawsuit in 2023. The lawsuit argues it's against the Texas education agency accountability rating system, adding the STAAR test results are not 'valid and reliable' and should not be used to assign school ratings. view article

The 344 students recognized as AP Scholars for their outstanding performance on the May 2025 Advanced Placement (AP) exams marks a 47 percent increase in number of students from the previous year, with all four high school campuses contributing to this achievement. view article

Humble ISD recently approved its fiscal year 2025-26 budget, and STAAR scores for the spring 2025 tests were released. Learn more about these education updates below. Humble ISD students either exceeded or tied state averages in 15 of the 20 grade levels and subjects tested in the spring 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, according to results released by the Texas Education Agency on June 17. view article

Several parents at Sinton ISD are raising concerns about inconsistent course enrollment policies they claim have unfairly disadvantaged some students, according to grievances filed with the district. Charles Suarez, a parent of a Sinton High School student, told KRIS 6 his son was denied the opportunity to take dual-credit classes as a sophomore, while other students in the same grade were permitted to enroll. view article

Several parents at Sinton ISD are raising concerns about inconsistent course enrollment policies they claim have unfairly disadvantaged some students, according to grievances filed with the district. Charles Suarez, a parent of a Sinton High School student, told KRIS 6 his son was denied the opportunity to take dual-credit classes as a sophomore, while other students in the same grade were permitted to enroll. view article

The Texas A&M University System will join several other university systems from Republican-led states to launch a new accreditation agency.  According to U.S. News and World Report, the Texas A&M University System will join the university systems of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina to launch the Commission for Public Higher Education.  Accreditation is a process where an outside entity evaluates a college or university to determine if it meets certain standards. Typically, these standards relate to programs, faculty, and resources. view article

Facing a $110 million budget deficit, Austin ISD’s trustees are receiving input from the public on a plan to consolidate some schools for the 2026–27 school year.  Austin Independent School District trustees are considering merging several schools to reduce costs in the wake of budget shortfalls.  During a board of trustees meeting Thursday, district leaders weighed community concerns and the economic benefits of consolidating schools as the district faces a massive $110 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year.  Trustees focused on a survey taken by roughly 14,000 parents and members of the public who named a range of potential concerns and benefits associated with consolidation. view article

Austin Independent School District is grappling with its future as the Texas Education Agency votes on the district's turnaround plan for Dobie, Webb, and Burnet middle schools. The TEA is set to decide on AISD's turnaround plan, which could lead to a district-managed restart for the schools. Elizabeth Davis, co-president of Region 13 for the Association of Texas Public Educators and a Dobie Middle School educator, expressed her concerns about the potential for a TEA takeover. view article

The Austin Independent School District’s Board of Trustees approved plans for how it hopes to turn around three middle schools on track to receive a third failing state accountability rating soon. The district risks its school board being temporarily replaced by a state-appointed board of managers if any single campus racks up five consecutive failing scores. The ratings for each individual campus are calculated by looking at performance in several areas: view article

With the passage of education savings accounts and enrollment decreases in San Antonio’s biggest school districts, it’s no surprise that “school choice” has become more competitive for public and private schools alike.   Northside Independent School District, the largest district in San Antonio, recently started “Excellence Without Boundaries,” an open enrollment program allowing any student in the San Antonio area to apply to attend any one of its schools.   While the district has long housed magnet schools and in-district charters that enroll students regardless of their address, Superintendent John Craft said it was the “right time” to go ahead with a more competitive strategy.  view article

Located on the far South Side, right outside San Antonio city limits and Loop 1604, Somerset Independent School District is one of a handful of school districts in the country to academically recover from the 2020 pandemic.   Modestly sized with an enrollment of 4,145 students, Somerset ISD has eight schools, including Somerset Junior High, one of the highest-performing schools in Bexar County.   More than 86% of students across the district are considered economically disadvantaged, meaning they qualify for free or reduced lunch. At the junior high, the number is only slightly lower, at nearly 85%.  To Roni Gonzales, who’s served as Somerset Junior High principal for five years and has been with the district since 2005, it’s all about looking at the data and building a student’s confidence. view article

Elementary and middle school students across San Antonio are slowly inching back to pre-pandemic performance levels on state assessments, with some school districts even surpassing their 2019 scores in some subjects.   But for the most part, San Antonio scores remain largely flat, seeing a roughly 2% bump across reading and math grade level performance.   While math scores across Texas are still not what they were before the pandemic, reading scores have overall exceeded 2019 performance, according to spring STAAR data released by the Texas Education Agency on Tuesday.  view article

Elementary and middle school students across San Antonio are slowly inching back to pre-pandemic performance levels on state assessments, with some school districts even surpassing their 2019 scores in some subjects.   But for the most part, San Antonio scores remain largely flat, seeing a roughly 2% bump across reading and math grade level performance.   While math scores across Texas are still not what they were before the pandemic, reading scores have overall exceeded 2019 performance, according to spring STAAR data released by the Texas Education Agency on Tuesday.  view article

Liberty Hill ISD outperformed the state in every subject and grade level on the 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, according to results released June 17.   The district saw both improvements and declines in reading and math scores compared to 2024.  The overview: LHISD student performance was highest in U.S. History, Biology and fourth grade reading, with 97%, 95% and 91% of students approaching grade level, respectively. The district saw the lowest performance in seventh grade math and eighth grade social studies, with 56% and 66% of students passing those exams. view article

On the same day that Texas' top education department released its latest test scores, one North Texas school district called on Gov. Greg Abbott to push to abolish the state-mandated exams altogether.  The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams, taken each year by students in grades three through eight and in certain high school courses, is designed to measure how well a "student has learned and is able to apply the defined knowledge and skills in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills," according to the Texas Education Agency. State lawmakers in both chambers authored bills to scrap the exam for the first time since 2012 this legislative session but ultimately failed to reach a compromise before a key deadline. view article

The Austin school district has not met minimum state exam standards for students with disabilities in the past four years, according to an independent review of the district’s special education programs. Stetson and Associates, a consulting firm, conducted a review of the Austin school district’s services for students with disabilities starting during the 2019-20 academic year, although the evaluation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a change in leadership at the district. view article

A Valley school district is working to convince parents that it’s safe for their kids to be in school. Officials at the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District say they’re working hard to help families feel more comfortable about students being back in the classroom. view article

The Waco Independent School District and its charter school partner, Transformation Waco, could see more than half of their students start the school year Sept. 8 via remote instruction, according to registration numbers provided by both entities. view article