AISD earns ‘B’ on state report card
During their regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 20, school board trustees learned that Albany ISD earned a “B” in the state’s new accountability ratings with distinctions given in social studies at the secondary level and science on both campuses.
The board also looked over the second draft of the proposed budget and made plans to act on the numbers at a special morning meeting on Friday, Aug. 31.
Rating System
Albany ISD earned a composite score of 84 out of 100 in the state’s complex and controversial ratings that replaced a system that rolled out just four years ago.
“The accountability system provides detailed information about each campus and district in the areas (domains) of student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps between student groups,” explained interim superintendent Doyleen Terrell. “An overall rating of a ‘B’ reveals that our students are making progress toward mastery in the tested areas.”
She added that administrators are pleased to have earned academic achievement distinctions in science and social studies.
“Each campus will be disaggregating the data and will work to demonstrate growth in targeted areas that can be improved upon,” Terrell continued. “The diligent efforts of our students, faculty and staff are greatly appreciated.”
A total of 121 of the 742 multi-campus districts that received the A-F ratings earned As, while 334 were given Bs
Other districts over the state included 232 with Cs, 46 with Ds, and nine with Fs.
Ninety-two district were not rated because of a special Hurricane Harvey provision.
Almost all single campus districts like Moran ISD continue to receive the old rating of “Met Standard.”
“There’s plenty of opinions around the state about the new accountability system,” commented local elementary principal Jonathan Scott. “Regardless of my opinion, I have chosen to use our performance data to assist in planning and implementing a continuous improvement plan to ensure our student growth from year to year.”
Both Scott and secondary principal Edward Morales are struggling to understand how some of the data is presented.
“We’re trying to decide how to decipher all this and figure out where some of these numbers come from,” said Morales. “We hope to see what objectives the kids are missing and continue to work on our local plan to improve academic growth.”
Grades in three different areas are combined to reach the overall rating.
According to the Texas Education Agency, the areas are defined as follows:
•Student Achievement tells how much students know and are able to do at the end of the school year.
•School Progress shows how students are performing over time and compares that progress to similar schools.
•Closing the Gaps tells how well different populations of students in a district are performing.
Budget, Tax Rate
The board plans to adopt the proposed budget at a 7:30 a.m. session on Friday, Aug. 31, according to the deadline set by state law.
Expenditures for the upcoming school year are projected to be $6,278,503, compared to the actual expenses so far this fiscal year of just over $5.26 million.
Revenue for the year is expected to total $5,452,341, including an increase in state funding of about $150,000.
“Our job as a board is to educate the public, and we need to make sure they’re aware that we are deficit budgeting,” said board president Betsy Parsons. “If things don’t change (with state funding), we may have to make some tough decisions.”
Other Business
•Melinda Lucas of The Albany News was presented with a certificate naming her to TEA’s 2018 Media Honor Roll.
•The school calendar was altered to show the stock show holiday as Feb. 1 rather than Jan. 25 because of date changes by several major stock shows next spring.
•The board opted to extend the energy contract with McKinstry by one year.
