August 24, 2023, Lancaster, TX--On Thursday, August 24, 2023, the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve the administration's recommendation to participate in a legal action against the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The lawsuit, known as Lancaster ISD, et. al., v. Morath, requests that TEA halts the publication of this year's accountability ratings to allow the school district to adapt to the revised sliding scale. This request would also coincide with the introduction of a revamped STAAR Test. The A-F rating system relies, in part, on the results of this test, along with graduation rates and assessments of college, career, and military readiness. It's important to note that this score is derived from the preceding year and is also expected to be influenced by recent changes.
The lawsuit was initiated and filed by Kingsville ISD, which is located near Corpus Christi, TX. Since then, several school districts have united and joined the lawsuit. Lancaster ISD was one of the first school districts to join the lawsuit in Dallas County. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Katrise Perera, believes it is in the district's best interest to move forward with the lawsuit.
"I want to make it clear that I firmly believe, and I am willing to state publicly, that the TEA's decision to modify accountability standards after students have completed their assessments is both unfair and unjust," she expressed. "It's equivalent to a teacher providing an assessment or project to students and then sharing the grading rubric afterward, a practice that is widely considered unfair. I thank the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees for supporting our recommendation to take a stand for what is right for the students and educators in Lancaster ISD."
In March of 2023, Lancaster ISD joined 250 Texas school districts, urging TEA to re-evaluate the accountability system. A joint letter was sent to the agency to showcase the district's solidarity. As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023, TEA temporarily delayed releasing the 2023 A-F accountability ratings. Coincidentally, this information was shared just as more districts began to join the lawsuit. Additional information will be shared once it becomes available.
For more information, please click on the links below:
- Kingsville ISD Leads Lawsuit Against TEA
- Texas School Districts Join Lawsuit Against TEA
- Texas Education Agency delays release of 2023 A-F accountability ratings by a month