CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Kingsville Independent School District is leading a lawsuit over changes to the Texas Education Agency rating system, in which several other school districts across the state are now part of.
The lawsuit specifically names Mike Morath, in his capacity as Commissioner of Education as the defendant.
Those against the proposed changes to the state's accountability system contend that the change to the rating system is unlawful and could end up lowering their ratings.
Kingsville Superintendent Cissy Reynolds-Perez said that changing the way a school or district earns a grade is like changing the rules of a football game while the game is being played or even after it's over.
Perez said that even if a school district has seen improvements, their ratings could take a hit under the TEA rating changes and appear as if the district is under performing. Last year, Kingsville's report card was a C rating.
"We looked at this, talked as a board, we said okay we see this coming, either we can sit back and say okay or we can have a voice for our students and our educators," she said.
The lawsuit is asking the TEA to stop the release of this year's accountability ratings to give the district time to adjust to the new sliding scale.
It comes at the same time as a redesigned STAAR Test. The A-F rating system is based in part on that test, as well as graduation rates, but also college, career and military readiness. That score is actually taken from the year before and is also set to be impacted.
"Especially with the CCMR component, those students have already graduated. There is nothing we can do to bring them back, it has been a year, now the scaling of the component is being earned is being upgraded, to like 28 more points, we feel like that's changing the rules of the game after the game," she said.
Kingsville ISD was the first district to petition, now several more districts have joined the fight. It's even gotten support from several state legislators. Perez said the impact could have a financial ripple effect.
"Because we know the economic impact that can occur in a community just based on a letter grade, then if its based on information that is now fair or unlawful, then it would be too late to go back and explain what is occurring," she said.
Kingsville ISD parent Lisa Torres Alvarado Martinez has a son who is in pre-k. She said she views the move as unfair.
"I wouldn't want this little one to get thrown behind so far back because of something that has nothing to do with him, he doesn't know what an a-f rating is, he just knows mom I got a sticker," he said.
There is no telling how long the lawsuit could take in total to advance.
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