Springtown, Texas – In a unanimous vote during a Special Board Meeting held yesterday morning (Sept. 19, 2023), the Springtown ISD Board of Trustees approved the district administration’s recommendation to join several Texas school districts in a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency, initially filed by Kingsville ISD.
This lawsuit cites how the Commissioner of the TEA has failed to provide school districts with “a document in a simple, accessible format that explains the accountability performance measures, methods, and procedures that will be applied” for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The legal action seeks an injunction to prevent the commissioner from issuing new ratings using retroactively applied, yet-to-be-finalized measures.
The cost to districts, including Springtown ISD, will be shared equally amongst the districts that join as a part of the lawsuit and will be absorbed by the current SISD budget.
Rick Beall, President of the SISD Board of Trustees, expressed the board’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and equity in the education system, stating, “I believe that joining forces with other districts in this legal action against the TEA regarding accountability ratings is essential to uphold fairness, transparency, and equity in our education system. As a united Board, we are committed to advocating for our students, educators, and community. Together we will work for the best interests of our children, not only in SISD but across the state of Texas.”
Tiffany Cano, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, emphasized the importance of considering multiple measures of student performance, stating, “At Springtown ISD, we believe that student performance cannot be captured in just one data point collected at a single time. It is best practice to reference multiple measures of data to inform your child’s academic progress. Beyond STAAR/EOC results, parents have a number of additional measures to inform you regarding your student’s progress.”
Superintendent Shane Strickland stands alongside fellow Superintendents statewide, emphasizing the unfairness of introducing new TEA rating measures. He compares this to starting a game or a season without knowing the rules or how scores will be calculated. Strickland states, “We’ve already completed one season or school year and are into the next, all while unaware of the TEA’s performance criteria.” He believes, “This is extremely unfair to our teachers and students.”
SISD first urged TEA to re-evaluate the accountability system refresh in March 2023 in a joint letter co-signed by 250 Texas school districts and education organizations.
To read the resolution passed by the SISD Board of Trustees please visit: https://5il.co/2541f