Yesterday the Texas Education Agency released accountability ratings for its 8,600 schools and 1,200 districts and charters. More than 93 percent of districts met state standards. The high passing rate has some wondering if the ratings are representative of a work or college ready students. Bill Hammond outgoing head of the Texas Association of Business says the ratings are participation medals, and largely meaningless. “Today according to the commissioner of education, only about 30 percent of our high school graduates are ready to go to work or are ready to be successful at a community or four-year school,” says Hammond. This mismatch he says is misleading people and a rating system that doesn’t discern between high flying schools and schools just scraping by the acceptable level doesn’t help. Next year an A through F system of grading schools goes into effect at the TEA. San Antonio Independent School District lost some ground this year compared to last year in terms of failing

Source: Texas Public Radio