Accountability

Federal and State Accountability

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced the No Child Left Behind Act on July 1, 2017. The purpose of the state accountability system is to:

Improve student performance.
Remove achievement gaps between student groups.
Ensure Texas is a national leader in preparing students for success after graduation.

Click on the banner below to view upcoming sessions in our Accountability workshop series.

Link will open in a new tab.

Resources (click to expand)

Academic Accountability System

Each school year, Student Achievement, Student Progress, and Closing the Gaps data is compiled to determine how the district or campus is performing under the Academic Accountability System (A-F Accountability).

About every five years, the A-F Accountability System is refreshed using the latest research and data. The last refresh occurred in 2023, and the next refresh is scheduled for the 2027-2028 school year.

Click on the titles below to expand sections.

Accountability Domains

Domain 1 - Student Achievement

Shows how much students know and can do by the end of the school year. Ratings in this domain are based on how many students are approaching, meeting, and mastering grade-level expectations.

For high schools and districts, ratings are also based on how many students graduate and whether graduates are ready for college, a career, or the military.

Domain 2 - School Progress

Based on a comparison of how students are performing. In part, this domain is based on how many students showed academic growth in reading and math on the STAAR tests. This domain also looks at the levels of achievement compared to similar campuses.

Domain 3 - Closing the Gaps

Meant to help ensure attention is given to every student. Ratings look at groups of students separately, and higher grades are awarded if all groups show strong academic growth and student achievement.

How is Overall Performance Calculated?

Graphic showing Student Achievement and School Progress under 70% and Closing the Gaps under 30%

Overall grades for districts and schools are calculated based on performance in three key areas, or domains:

70% of a school or district's rating comes from the higher of the two scores: Student Achievement or School Progress.
30% of the rating is based on whether performance gaps exist across different student subgroups (Closing the Gaps).

This design shows a commitment to recognizing high student achievement and the impact of highly effective educators while maintaining focus on the students most in need. Ratings options for the overall score out of 100 are as follows:

A: 90-100

B: 80-89

C: 70-79

D: 60-69

F: 59 and Below

Campus/District Accountability Designations

Schools are currently identified as:

Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools

The lowest five percent of campuses that receive Title 1 funds or any campus that does not meet a 67% graduation rate for all students.

Any Title 1 campus identified for targeted support and improvement for three consecutive years for the same student subgroup(s) is escalated to CSI designation the following school year.

Targeted Support and Improvement

Campuses that are not designated CSI, with at least one student subgroup that misses the targets in at least the same three indicators, for three consecutive years.

Additional Targeted Support

Any campus not already designated CSI or TSI that has at least one specific student subgroup performing at or below the lowest 5% of Title I schools.

2028 Accountability Refresh

There are no planned changes to the Accountability System's general design. Major proposed changes to the system include:

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) will be transitioned to the new Student Success Tool (SST).
- The English 2 end-of-course (EOC) assessment will no longer be administered.
- The SST will implement three evaluative exams over the course of a full school year, but only End of Year (EOY) exams will be used to fulfill state accountability requirements.

Domain 1: Student Achievement will award one bonus point for each assessment result for students who achieve Approaches Grade Level or above on an EOC assessment as part of an accelerated pathway (Algebra 1, English 1, U.S. History, Biology).

Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) will be integrated into the A-F Accountability System's Domain 3: Closing the Gaps.

Domain 3: Closing the Gaps will now have two parts:
- Part A will measure the overall student group performance of districts and campuses. This will count for 70% of a district's Domain 3 rating and 100% of each individual campus' rating.
- Part B will measure program outcomes for special populations at the district level only. This will count for 30% of a district's Domain 3 rating.

Domain 3: Closing the Gaps, Part A will evaluate the district's two lowest‐performing racial/ethnic groups from the prior year for new campuses lacking prior-year data.

Domain 3: Closing the Gaps, Part A will expand the expected growth to interim target to create a limited "Safe Harbor" to allow campuses to still earn 2 points if they saw a dip in results, but have still demonstrated progress towards the target.

To help educators prepare for the 2028 Accountability refresh, TEA will release "What If" ratings based on the 2028 Accountability Manual in TEAL in both 2026 and 2027.

Resources (click to expand)

College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR)

The CCMR system measures whether high school students are prepared for success after graduation. Each pathway has a set of indicators used to determine a student's readiness to enroll in college, enter the workforce, or enlist in the U.S. military.

Alongside the 2028 Accountability Framework refresh, CCMR results are also being updated, with another update planned for 2031.

College Readiness

Career Readiness

Military Readiness

2028 and 2031 Refreshes

2028 Update

Tier 3 Industry-Based Certifications (IBC) will have a cap of of 5% or 5 students, whichever is greater, to earn CCMR.
IBC tier lists will receive regular updates every five years.
JROTC program completion and/or a score of 31 or above on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) will be accepted as Military Readiness indicators.

2031 Update

CCMR indicators will be given different weights based on how much they influence post-graduation outcomes.
Each graduate achieves one postsecondary readiness level:
- Foundational
- Demonstrated
- Advanced
CCMR raw scores will be calculated using the following formula:

CCMR raw score = %Foundational and up + %Demonstrated and up + %Advanced divided by 3

As an example, if your high school has 150 graduates with:

92% achieving Foundational or above
53% achieving Demonstrated or above
22% achieving Advanced

Then you would add 92 + 53 + 22 and divide by 3, which gives you a CCMR raw score of 56.

Data table showing percentages and score calculated from above example

Resources (click to expand)

Results-Driven Accountability

Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) is an automated system that provides yearly performance reports for districts and charter schools in four programs:

Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language (BE/ESL)
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Federal Title Programs (ESSA)
Special Education (SPED)

Click on the titles below to expand sections.

State Performance Plan (SPP)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires each state to develop a six-year performance plan. The Special Education unit monitors the correction of non-compliance identified through data submission for the State Performance Plan. This SPP evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of IDEA and illustrates how the state will continuously improve upon this implementation.

TEA and COVID-19, Special Populations

COVID-19 Special Education Q&A
TELPAS and LPAC Guidance
ARD Committee Considerations
Guidance for Military Connected Students
Guidance for Foster Care Students
English Learner FAQ
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Guidance
Special Education Privacy and FERPA Considerations for Virtual Instruction
ARD Committee Considerations During COVID-19
Evaluation Considerations During COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Guidance

Assessment
- Accountability

Staff and Educator Issues

Guidance on Educator and Issues and Educator Evaluations and Non-renewal

Instructional Continuity Planning Framework

The special education monitoring process also includes four other types of monitoring:

Performance-Based Monitoring of public school districts and charters
Approval and re-approval of Nonpublic Schools
Cyclical monitoring of other state entities that provide services to students with disabilities
Residential Facilities Monitoring

Local Education Agency (LEA) Data Collection

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), Section 616(b)(2)(B), requires states to collect data from LEAs annually in order to report data for the SPP/APR and publicly report LEA performance against the state target for the following 14 SPP indicators:

1. Graduation
2. Dropout
3A-C. Adequate Yearly Progress
4A-B. Suspension/Expulsion
5A-C. Educational Environment, Ages 6-21
6. Educational Environment, Ages 3-5
7A-C. Early Childhood Outcomes
8. Parent Participation
9. Disproportionality in the special education program
10. Disproportionality by specific disability
11. Child Find
12. Early Childhood Transition
13. Secondary Transition
14. Post-School Outcomes

Local Education Agency (LEA) Public Reporting

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), Section 616(b)(2)(C)(i)(II), requires states to publicly report LEA performance against the state targets in the State Performance Plan. Every LEA will have a district profile that their performance on indicators 1-14 against the state target in the State Performance Plan (SPP).

SPP Reports and Requirements

Local Education Agency (LEA) Determination

Pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004 (IDEA 2004) Section 616(a)(1)(C)(i) and 34 CFR §300.608(a), states are required to make “Determinations” annually under Section 616(d) on the performance of LEAs’ programs for students with disabilities. In making such Determinations, the state will assign an LEA one of the following Determination levels:

- Meets the requirements
- Needs assistance
- Needs intervention
- Needs substantial intervention

Data Validation Monitoring (DVM)

Resources (click to expand)

To receive notifications and access accountability data and reports, request access to the TEAL Accountability application by clicking here. Link may open in another tab.

If you lead intervention activities and submit reports, you also need to request access to the Intervention Stage and Activity Manager (ISAM) application.

Student Performance

Performance is defined as how well a student has prepared for and mastered the material presented. Help your students perform their best with the additional resources provided below.

Click on the titles below to expand sections.

Standards / Curriculum

Performance Report Resources

Instructional Strategies

Early Childhood Resources

Click on the titles below to view the related resource. Links may open in a new tab.

Student & Family Resources

Contacts

The A-F Accountability System is a robust system that includes not only STAAR performance data, but also growth, college, career, and military data. Because this system includes so many data points, our Region 7 Center for Effective Schools team works with several other teams to support our districts. Please see the teams below that support districts in a specific area of accountability.

Center for Effective Schools

Crissy Haynie Director, Center for Effective Schools

Email Crissy Haynie 903.988.6762
Andrew Jones Coordinator, Center for Effective Schools

Email Andrew Jones 903.988.6919
Jason Wallace Coordinator II, Center for Effective Schools

Email Jason Wallace 903.988.6807

Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS)

Mechelle Carpenter PEIMS Specialist, IMS

Email Mechelle Carpenter 903.988.6839
Melissa Smith PEIMS Specialist, IMS

Email Melissa Smith 903.988.6795

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Adrian Knight Director I, State & Federal Programs

Email Adrian Knight 903.988.6845
Carrie Chandler CTE Specialist II, State & Federal Programs

Email Carrie Chandler 903.988.6810
Cadi Collins CTE Specialist I, State & Federal Programs

Email Cadi Collins 903.988.6864

Results-Driven Accountability

Kerri Brice Director II, State & Federal Programs

Email Kerri Brice 903.988.6719
Carmen Delgado, M.Ed. Coordinator, State & Federal Programs

Email Carmen Delgado, M.Ed. 903.988.6861
Beverly Beran, M.Ed., RTSBA Deputy Director, Special Education Services

Email Beverly Beran, M.Ed., RTSBA 903.988.6910

Special Education

Beverly Beran, M.Ed., RTSBA Deputy Director, Special Education Services

Email Beverly Beran, M.Ed., RTSBA 903.988.6910
Jenny Brandt, M.A., CCC-SLP Director, Special Education Services

Email Jenny Brandt, M.A., CCC-SLP 903.988.6970
Denise Richmond, M.Ed., Diag. Strategic Integration Liaison, Special Education Services

Email Denise Richmond, M.Ed., Diag. 903.988.6902
Kelsey Wigington, M.Ed. Specialist II, Special Education Services

Email Kelsey Wigington, M.Ed. 903.988.6705

State Performance Plan Contacts

State Performance Plan (SPP) Contact

Beverly Beran, M.Ed.
Deputy Director, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6910

Child Find
Connie Parks, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6829

Early Childhood Transition
Whitney Sherman
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6896

Early Childhood Outcomes Educational Environment - Ages 3-5
Whitney Sherman
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6896

Progress in the General Curriculum
Stacey Perkins, M.A.
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6911

Brett Durham, M.S.
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6862

Disproportionality by Specific Disability, Disproportionality in the Special Education Program,
Parent Participation

Chalease Denson, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Special Education Liaison
[email protected]
(903) 988-6977

Beverly Beran, M.Ed.
Deputy Director, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6910

Gaelen Singler, M.S.

Specialist, Special Education Liaison

[email protected]

(903) 988-6947

Dropout, Graduation, Post-School Outcomes,
Secondary Transition
Kelsey Wigington, M.Ed.
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6733

Suspension / Expulsion
Whitney Sherman, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Specialist, Special Education
[email protected]
(903) 988-6896

Accountability

Federal and State Accountability

Academic Accountability System

Domain 1 - Student Achievement

Domain 2 - School Progress

Domain 3 - Closing the Gaps

How is Overall Performance Calculated?

Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools

Targeted Support and Improvement

Additional Targeted Support

2028 Accountability Refresh

College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR)

College Readiness Indicators

Career Readiness Indicators

Military Readiness Indicators

2028 Update

2031 Update

Results-Driven Accountability

Local Education Agency (LEA) Data Collection

Local Education Agency (LEA) Public Reporting

Local Education Agency (LEA) Determination

Student Performance

Contacts

Center for Effective Schools

Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS)

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Results-Driven Accountability

Special Education