The way schools are evaluated in Texas is primarily through the 'A-F grading system' administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This system comprehensively examines factors such as academic achievement, growth rates, and efforts to close educational gaps, scoring them and assigning grades from A to F. Let's briefly look at the criteria used for evaluation.

1. Student Achievement

   • The results of the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) standardized test carry significant weight.
   • It assesses how well students perform in core subjects (English, math, science, social studies, etc.), and in some cases, the completion rates of AP/IB courses or dual language program outcomes are also considered.

2. School Progress

   • It evaluates not just the current scores but also how much progress has been made compared to the past.
   • It considers how much students' test scores have improved over a specific period (usually compared to the previous year) and what changes have been made for students in the lower performance tiers.

3. Closing the Gaps

   • It examines whether the achievement gaps among various groups, such as by race, income level, English learners, and special education students, are narrowing.
   • It checks if all students are receiving equal educational opportunities, with higher scores awarded as educational inequalities decrease.

4. Overall Grade Calculation (A-F)

   • The final A-F grade is determined by combining scores from the three areas above along with additional indicators (graduation rates, college readiness, etc.).
   • For example, even if student achievement and school progress indicators are relatively high, a lack of effort in closing educational gaps can result in a lower overall grade.

5. Utilization of Evaluation Results

   • You can find school-specific evaluation results by visiting the TEA website or each district's page.
   • Parents and the community often use these grades as reference material when choosing schools or considering their children's educational environment.

In summary, the evaluation of schools in Texas is characterized by a system that looks beyond just test scores to comprehensively assess 'student achievement, growth, and closing educational gaps' before assigning scores. For students and parents, reviewing these indicators can be useful in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of schools and considering what improvements need to be made in the future.