Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on School Ratings, Funding, and Teacher Certification

A-F School Ratings and Legal Challenges

• 💡 The A-F school rating system aims to provide clear information to parents, but has faced criticism for confusion and perceived flaws.
• ⚠️ Approximately 100 school systems sued the TEA, delaying the release of 2023 ratings and causing confusion for families.
• 🗓️ The Commissioner clarifies that parents can use this fall's ratings (August) to compare year-over-year performance, and that the 2023 ratings are still useful for evaluating campus performance.
• ⚖️ Legislation is being considered to clarify rating methodology and restrict school districts' legal options to prevent future lawsuits that deny parents access to information.

Rating System Methodology and Stability

• 🔄 Prior to 2017, Texas changed its school rating methodology annually, hindering year-over-year comparisons.
• 🎯 The 2017 legislature introduced a stable A-F system, with updates planned every five years, including rerunning previous year's ratings for a clear comparison.
• 📊 The Commissioner asserts that any perceived