In a development related to my earlier posting, the DMN has published the announcement about the release of the list of low performing schools, known as Academically Unacceptable. This is the bookend standard to the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) I mentioned in the previous post. Where the AYP measures year-to-year progress against a standard that changes yearly, the Academic Performance rating, which includes the rating of Academically Unacceptable as its lowest rating, is based on a minimum percentage of students passing the statewide TAKS test. Where I think the DMN story is a little misleading, however, is in the statement that 50% of all students must pass the TAKS to avoid the Academically Unacceptable rating. As I understand it, however, the 50% standard is for each student group, of which there are several. If a single group does not meet this standard, then the school is rated Academically Unacceptable. Therefore in ethnically diverse schools such as those we have here in East Dallas, it is possible for far more than 50% of the students to pass the TAKS yet the school can still be receive this rating.
I’ll be digging a little deeper into this story will post more soon.
