Where we stand
Three neighborhood middle schools sit at the center of the takeover threat.
What a 5th strike triggers
If a campus hits five consecutive unacceptable ratings, state law (Texas Education Code, Chapter 39A) gives the Education Commissioner two options:12
The state can order the school shut down.
Install a state-appointed board of managers over the whole district.
= an F rating
A campus is rated F when its overall score falls at or below 59 on a 0–99 scale. The overall grade is the better of Achievement or Progress (70%) plus Closing the Gaps (30%).7
The score blends three domains:6
Share of students who passed STAAR. (High schools also count graduation rates and college/career readiness.)8
STAAR growth year to year, plus results vs. similar-poverty schools.9
STAAR results broken out by student group.10
The bottom line. For our middle schools, all three domains rest on STAAR — an unacceptable rating is a snapshot of one test, not a verdict on whether students are engaged, supported, or thriving.
D and F ratings cluster in schools serving more low-income students, and the system is widely criticized for measuring poverty and resources as much as teaching.11