Katy ISD Superintendent Lance Hindt Addresses TEA Letter Grade Ratings
Katy, TX News (January 6, 2017) In a letter to parents, Dr. Lance Hindt, Ed. D., Superintendent of Katy ISD, addressed the validity of the unofficial letter grade ratings released by the TEA.
“Dear Katy ISD Parents and Community,
Today, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will release unofficial letter grades for every campus and district throughout the state — a requirement of House Bill 2804. This unofficial ratings report is considered a trial run for the new 2017-18 accountability system and is designed to provide districts with a benchmark to track progress and make improvements ahead of releasing the official August 2018 ratings.
It is no secret that Katy ISD is one of the best school districts in the state, consistently earning TEA’s highest accountability rating year after year. In addition, our community is highly regarded for its family values and business growth. However, I and many others believe that TEA’s new methodology for calculating ratings does not accurately reflect where we are as a district and community. In fact, the unofficial ratings show that our district and some of our schools have received less than average ratings in one or more areas (see FAQs for more information on House Bill 2804).
Please know that our Board and staff is committed to ensuring that all students are provided exceptional learning opportunities, programs and facilities. While we will continue to use data to drive student achievement, we are also mindful of the flaws that communities across the state have pinpointed in the current and future accountability systems. Nevertheless, we are encouraged that the TEA will use this preliminary data to continue refining its methodology for calculating letter grades before releasing the official August 2018 A-F accountability reports.
As you may have seen in the 2016-17 Legislative Priorities adopted by the Board, we believe that the educational needs of our children and community would be better served if school districts were allowed greater local input and control. Over the course of the school year, we hope that our parents and community will join the Board of Trustees in advocating the legislature for an accountability system that streamlines the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills and suspends the punitive components of the flawed ratings system.
Our parents, staff and community, are the key ingredient behind the success of our students. Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate and work through the 2017-18 accountability system and its new measures.
Should you have any additional questions, please contact your campus or the Parent and Patron Assistance Center at (281) 396-2441/ ppac@katyisd.org.
Remember, our shared goal is to prepare Katy ISD students for a successful future. The part of our mission statement that reads, “…together with family and community,” means that we all play an important role in reaching that goal.”
Be the legacy!
Lance Hindt, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Courtesy of Katy ISD
