The Carrollton-Farmer's Branch School Independent School (C-FB ISD) response to TEA Accountability Rating Deserves a Failing Grade.

The TEA Commissioner recent denial the appeal of the Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District (C-FB ISD) accountability rating, and the District's subsequent response reveals that the District has difficultly holding itself accountable for its own failures. The District fell short of recogonized rating standard set for the completion standard for hispanic students.

Completion guideline states, students must receive their high school diploma on or before August 31 four years following their initial enrollment as 9th grade students whether in this district or some other district. Thus, the term Completion Rate; the Graduation Rate used by the federal government for AYP purposes only includes "on-time" graduates (students who graduate four years after entering the 9th grade for the first time.) The Completion Rate includes both "on-time" graduates and those students who return for a fifth year. For the 2008-2009, the completion rate would be based on those students who began their initial enrollment as 9th grade students in the 2005-2006 school year or returned (enrolled) for a fifth year in 2008-2009.

This guide was applied to C-FB ISD with the following results according to the press release: "The district fell eight students short of the TEA Recognized rating standard set for the completion rate of 85% in one
student group." Although, press release never mentions it, the student group is Hispanic students. Hispanic students are largest demographic group in the district, composing 45 % student enrollment. Completion Rate includes both "on-time" graduates and those students who return for a fifth year. For the 2008-2009, the completion rate would be based on those students, in the student group, who began there initial enrollment as 9th grade students in the 2005-2006 school year or returned (enrolled) for a fifth year in 2008-2009.

Rather, then accepting the fact that District fell to meet the completion rate standard, and outline changes in policies and procedures for better results in the future, the District provided disingenuous excuses why the district fail to meet the standard. Immediately after noting that District's failure to meet the completion rate standard, the press release states,"In the appeal letter to TEA, C-FB ISD identified seven students who became C-FB ISD graduates but not on the state's timeline. They earned their high school diplomas after the August 31, 2008 deadline."

What the press release fails to mention is the August 31, 2008 deadline is that it applies to those students who began their initial enrollment as 9th grade in 2004-2005 school year and applied to calculating completion rate for 2007-2008 school year, not the 2008-2009 school year for which the appeal was made.

These students only needed to pass one, or more, parts of the Exit Level TAKS assessments to qualify for a high school diploma. They had earned all the course credits necessary to receive a diploma. Students are allowed to retake the TAKS Exit Level tests as often as they elect. None of these students enrolled for a fifth year nor attend any classes in C-FB ISD during the 2008-2009 school year.

Because these students began their initial enrollment in 2004-2005 school year as 9th grade students, and did not return (enroll) as fifth year students in 2008-2009, they were not included in the calculation that resulted in the district falling eight students short of the TEA Recognized rating standard. These students
did not contribute in any way to the District meeting TEA Recognized Standard for the 2008-2009.

The commissioner, in denying the districts appeal, noted that, "No enrollment records were found for the seven who graduated after the close of the 2008 school start window. If they had been enrolled, they would have counted as continuers" However, if these students were counted as continuers, the student group would have
also increase by seven students, requiring (7 * 85% completion rate) 6 additional students to have graduated or return for a fifth year. The district was 8 students short of the 85% completion rate prior to the additional 7 students being added to the student group. After the 7 students are added the district would be 8 + 6 = 14 students short, this would be offset by the fact that all 7 students graduated. Even if the TEA Commissioner has approved the appeal for these seven students, the district fell (14 - 7 = 7) 7 students short of the TEA Recognized rating standard set for the completion rate of 85% in one student group.

Addition these seven students, The district appeal the status one additional student which was summarily dismissed by the commissioner,"Lastly, the appeal for the highly mobile student cannot be considered. Many districts in the state are held accountable for students with similar circumstances. A strength of the
accountability system is that its features are applied uniformly statewide."