TEA RELEASES 2022-23 ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS: C FOR BRENHAM ISD, B FOR BURTON ISD
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released its 2023 A-F accountability ratings for schools across the state.
The ratings, which reflect performance from the 2022-23 school year, were delayed from being released for two years after a lawsuit challenged TEA’s changes to how districts are graded. Separate litigation is affecting the release of data for the 2023-24 school year, while ratings from the 2024-25 academic year are planned for release this August.
Examining the new ratings, Brenham ISD’s overall accountability grade for the 2022-23 year was a 72, or a C. Burton ISD scored at an 85, or a B.
Breaking down Brenham ISD’s rating, the district received a 73 (C) in both Student Achievement and School Progress and a 69 (D) in Closing the Gaps. For individual campuses, six of Brenham ISD’s schools graded at a C, while Krause Elementary School received a D.
For Burton ISD, it ranked at an 85 (B) for Student Achievement and Closing the Gaps and at an 81 (B) in School Progress. Individual school grades saw both the elementary and high school campuses earn a B.
Both Brenham and Burton ISDs have seen changes since the 2022-23 school year on which the new ratings are based on. Most notably, the districts have undergone reorganization in their administrations, including at superintendent.
KWHI reached out to Brenham and Burton ISDs for statements in response to the new ratings.
Brenham ISD Chief Academic Officer Sara Borchgardt said the district understands that the new ratings may be concerning, but that they “do not reflect where we are—they reflect where we were.” She said the district “has already implemented changes that are strengthening outcomes for all students.”
Brenham ISD Superintendent Clay Gillentine said the district is “confident in the work our educators are doing every day to ensure that all students learn, grow, and succeed.”
Brenham ISD’s full statement can be viewed here.
Scores for school districts around the region include:
- Anderson-Shiro CISD – 84 (B)
- Bellville ISD – 80 (B)
- Brazos ISD – 78 (C)
- Bryan ISD – 77 (C)
- Caldwell ISD – 83 (B)
- College Station ISD – 81 (B)
- Columbus ISD – 80 (B)
- Dime Box ISD – 60 (D)
- Fayetteville ISD – 96 (A)
- Flatonia ISD – 94 (A)
- Giddings ISD – 77 (C)
- Hempstead ISD – 59 (F)
- La Grange ISD – 80 (B)
- Lexington ISD – 83 (B)
- Iola ISD – 81 (B)
- Navasota ISD – 73 (C)
- Round Top-Carmine ISD – 90 (A)
- Richards ISD – 69 (D)
- Sealy ISD – 77 (C)
- Schulenburg ISD – 64 (D)
- Snook ISD – 81 (B)
- Somerville ISD – 67 (D)
- Waller ISD – 74 (C)
The full ratings can be viewed at https://txschools.gov.
A 72 is not very good. It is absolutely a reflection of where Brenham currently is. As someone who has been here for decades and been very close to our schools, I honestly say things have gotten worse, much worse. We’ve had years of admins who have been primarily concerned with building their own personal brands to prepare for their next step and pay raise. We’ve also had school boards who are all too happy to join in with admin on patting each other on the back while ignoring issues that need to be addressed or doing what they can to keep quality teachers. David Yeager was the last Superintendent whose sole focus was student outcomes and supporting teachers. He also kept a balanced budget during his years.
Beyond the admin issues, the apathy towards education of many parents in the community has grown year by year. It is difficult to educate an ever-rising percentage of students who just don’t want to learn or value the educational opportunities that are in front of them. Many students coming from BISD are successful because they have educational buy-in, but the number of kids with buy-in is shrinking each year.
Way to go Burton ISD! They really do a great job.
Time for Brenham ISD to step it up. Maybe they have too many Chiefs, and not enough Indians.
Say what you want, but it is a very sad state of affairs when Navasota ISD scores the same 73(C) as Brenham ISD.