The district’s accountability rating is Academically Acceptable this year. Although student performance exceeded the Academically Acceptable levels in all subjects and student groups, not all student groups met the Recognized level in completion rate. Completion rates, waived in last year’s accountability ratings due to the implementation of more rigorous drop-out standards, were included in 2009.
If SBISD’s accountability rating were based on the achievement scores of its students and did not include the new completion standard, the district’s rating would have been Recognized for the 2008-09 school year.
Another measurement included for the first time this year was the Texas Projection Measure (TPM), a measure required by the U.S. Department of Education. With TPM, SBISD student performance was at the Exemplary or Recognized levels in all areas. Students who do not pass a given test, but perform high enough to meet the new TPM are included with passing students when calculating campus and district passing rates.
Last year, 10 district schools were rated Exemplary, 13 schools were ranked as Recognized, and 15 were Academically Acceptable.
This year, four SBISD elementary schools – Buffalo Creek, Housman, Sherwood and Spring Branch elementaries – are officially listed as Not Rated: Other, due to Hurricane Ike Provision. The provision allows schools closed 10 or more days due to last fall’s hurricane to receive a “Not Rated” rating if their rating in 2009 would have been lower than the previous year’s rating. Under TEA rules, SBISD may appeal one or more of these ratings.
Despite changes this year in the state’s ratings process, several campuses showed noteworthy gains on their accountability ratings. They include Spring Woods High (Recognized), Spring Oaks Middle (Recognized) and four elementary schools – Hollibrook (Recognized), Meadow Wood (Exemplary), Ridgecrest (Recognized) and Valley Oaks (Exemplary).
Several SBISD principals described efforts to raise the bar on accountability:
“The community at Valley Oaks Elementary has been working extremely hard the past few years to reach the Exemplary level. While we have always believed that our school deserved the Exemplary status, it is such a great feeling to finally be rewarded for our academic achievements.” – Valley Oaks Elementary Principal Gary Henry
“We are all very excited to earn this Recognized rating. It’s a wonderful recognition of the hard work our students and staff put forth this year. We are looking forward to another wonderful year where we will strive to do even better.” – Spring Woods High Principal Lance Stallworth
“The Meadow Wood community is so proud of the hard work of our students and teachers. Teachers worked together to differentiate with daily small group instruction to meet the academic needs of each student. Meadow Wood teachers went above and beyond the academic needs of the students and instilled in each of them the confidence to achieve to their highest potential with the support of a great group of volunteers and mentors.” – Meadow Wood Elementary Principal Robye Snyder
“Our teachers and students are proud to be Recognized again. Spring Oaks was Recognized for six straight years and then lost our accountability rating last year because of our Science performance. So we focused on improving our Science instruction and getting students more learning time in their Science classes. I have to hand it to our teachers and students – their work and time commitment really paid off! – Spring Oaks Middle School Principal David Sablatura
“Our students, staff, community and parents worked hard this year to accelerate the learning at our school so that all students would be successful this academic year. The Ridgecrest family felt a wonderful sense of accomplishment not only in reaching the Recognized TEA rating but in finishing the year with a more cohesive faculty, staff and student body. We look forward now to this year and the challenges and opportunities it will present.” – Ridgecrest Elementary Principal Patricia Thomas
“Hollibrook teachers and staff worked hard at staying focused on the learning despite several major interruptions during this last year. Teachers were determined to educate ALL children and did not give up on struggling students. Teachers held themselves to high standards of professional practice by improving their teaching.” – Hollibrook Elementary Principal Elsa Delgado
TEA Accountability Ratings for SBISD
High Schools
Memorial High: Recognized
Northbrook High: Academically Acceptable
Spring Woods High: Recognized
Stratford High: Academically Acceptable
School of Choice: Alternative Education Accountability: Academically Acceptable
Westchester Academy for International Studies: Recognized
Middle Schools
Landrum Middle: Academically Acceptable
Memorial Middle: Exemplary
Northbrook Middle: Academically Acceptable
Spring Branch Middle: Recognized
Spring Forest Middle: Academically Acceptable
Spring Oaks Middle: Recognized
Spring Woods Middle: Academically Acceptable
Cornerstone Academy: Exemplary
Elementaries
Bendwood School: Not Rated – Program
Buffalo Creek: Not Rated, Other – Hurricane
Bunker Hill: Exemplary
Cedar Brook: Recognized
Edgewood: Recognized
Frostwood: Exemplary
Hollibrook: Recognized
Housman: Not Rated, Other – Hurricane
Hunters Creek: Exemplary
Meadow Wood: Exemplary
Memorial Drive: Exemplary
Nottingham: Recognized
Pine Shadows: Recognized
Ridgecrest: Recognized
Rummel Creek: Exemplary
Shadow Oaks: Academically Acceptable
Sherwood: Not Rated, Other – Hurricane
Spring Branch: Not Rated, Other – Hurricane
Spring Shadows: Recognized
Terrace: Academically Acceptable
Thornwood: Recognized
Treasure Forest: Exemplary
Valley Oaks: Exemplary
Westwood: Academically Acceptable
Wilchester: Exemplary
Woodview: Academically Acceptable
Schools for Early Learning
Prekindergarten and Kindergarten campuses are not rated by TEA