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45-624: As of the 2010-2011 school year, the appraised valuation of property in the district was $ 223,244,000. The maintenance tax rate was $ 0.104 and the bond tax rate was $ 0.013 per $ 100 of appraised valuation. In 2011, the school district was rated " recognized " by the Texas Education Agency . Thirty-five percent of districts in Texas in 2011 received the same rating. No state accountability ratings will be given to districts in 2012. A school district in Texas can receive one of four possible rankings from

90-445: A 20% difference in the rate of ELL students getting special education services compared to native speakers. In Houston ISD , the state's largest school district, after the 8.5% goal was met the standard was lowered to 8%. As a result, the district cut hundreds of special education positions, postponed diagnostic evaluations to second grade, and created a list of disqualifying factors that keep students from getting services. TEA issued

135-593: A Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to coordinate efforts across various agencies and divisions, ensuring effective implementation of safety policies and best practices. This position was to report directly to the Commissioner and have a direct line to the Governor’s Office, enhancing communication and collaboration without duplicating existing work. Abbott underscored

180-592: A board meeting using several quotes from scientists to discredit evolution. A biology teacher later found the quotes incomplete, out of context, and/or incorrectly taken from a creationist website. McLeroy said that while "some of the material was taken from the creationist site […] a lot of the quotes I did get on my own." McLeroy appeared on the Comedy Central program the Colbert Report in April 2012 wherein he said "In

225-503: A direct line to the Governor’s Office. He will coordinate safety efforts among multiple state agencies and school districts. Governor Abbott has also outlined significant actions to support the Uvalde community and enhance school safety statewide, including financial investments, mental health services, and legislative initiatives. The mission of the Office of School Safety and Security is to build

270-474: A documentary film about the re-election of the chairman of the Texas Board of Education Don McLeroy and the curriculum controversy, was released. In late January 2013, PBS's Independent Lens aired an abridged version the film. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, Texas said that the government should "take a look" at the structure of the board and consider a nonpartisan or appointed board if

315-524: A former education board chairman who was the leader of the conservative bloc. Ratliff said in 2013 that the board is "far different" in political complexion that it was in 2010. In 2022, the GOP captured an additional seat, bringing their total to 10 of the 15-member board. Many are social conservatives, campaigning against critical race theory and gender identity lessons. [1] To serve the large number of individual school districts and charter schools in Texas, TEA

360-401: A letter dated June 9, 2022, to Commissioner Morath, Governor Abbott emphasized the urgent need to prevent future tragedies like the one in Uvalde by enhancing school safety measures. Despite the comprehensive school safety and mental health legislation passed in 2019 and subsequent efforts, he stated that further actions were necessary before the next school year. Abbott called for the creation of

405-577: A love for Jesus Christ ." McLeroy volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America and Gideons International . He is an Elder and Sunday school teacher at Grace Bible Church in College Station, where he espouses creationism in the biblical perspective. He believes Christians who accept evolution show a "lack of consistency." McLeroy's term on the board expired in January 2011. McLeroy was appointed Chair of

450-549: A management board, which essentially replaces and performs the duties of the elected school board), and in extreme cases closure of a school campus or even the entire school district. The University Interscholastic League (UIL), which oversees academic and athletic interscholastic competition in Texas public schools, is a separate entity not under TEA oversight. In addition to primary and secondary education, TEA has oversight duties with respect to driver's education courses (initial permits) and defensive driving courses (used to have

495-673: A no-bid contract for $ 4.4 million to SPEDx in 2017 to analyze student records to assist with the overhaul of its special education practices. Advocates raised concerns about the lack of a competitive bidding process and the Georgia-based company's qualifications, and a former TEA special education director filed a federal complaint about TEA violating state procurement processes. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Education found that "Texas violated federal law by failing to ensure students with disabilities were properly evaluated and provided with an adequate public education." A multi-year strategic plan

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540-582: A recent geologic event — thousands of years old, not 4.5 billion. 'I believe a lot of incredible things,' he said, 'The most incredible thing I believe is the Christmas story. That little baby born in the manger was the God that created the universe.'" McLeroy's statements regarding science have been criticized. McLeroy and other Board members who want to challenge evolution have received criticism from more than fifty secular scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken

585-535: A ticket dismissed and/or for lower insurance premiums). On November 7, 2007, Christine Comer resigned as the director of the science curriculum after more than nine years. Comer said that her resignation was a result of pressure from officials who claimed that she had given the appearance of criticizing the teaching of intelligent design . In 2009, the board received criticism from more than 50 scientific organizations over an attempt to weaken science standards on evolution . In October 2012, The Revisionaries ,

630-458: Is "the enemy" and questioned: "Why is Intelligent Design the big tent? Because we’re all lined up against the fact that naturalism, that nature is all there is. Whether you're a progressive creationist, recent creationist, young earth, old earth, it's all in the tent of Intelligent Design." According to a 2008 article in The New York Times , "Dr. McLeroy believes that Earth's appearance is

675-634: Is Mike Morath. A former member of the Dallas Independent School District's board of trustees, he was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015. The commissioner's role is to lead and manage the Texas Education Agency. The commissioner also co-ordinates efforts between state and federal agencies. TEA is overseen by a 15-member State Board of Education (SBOE) elected from single-member districts. There are no term limits . Terms are four years in length, with one two-year term each decade. Similar to

720-545: Is divided in the monitoring and technical assistance division and the school readiness division. Don McLeroy John Donald "Don" McLeroy (born June 3, 1946) is a dentist in Bryan , Texas , and a Republican former member of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE). The SBOE establishes policy for the state public school system. McLeroy, who represented SBOE District 9 (Bryan and College Station ), served on

765-800: Is divided into 20 regions, each containing an Education Service Center (ESC, sometimes called regional service center or regional education service center). Under Chapter 8 of the Texas Education Code, ESCs perform the following tasks on behalf of TEA: The assistance applies to both districts and schools, including charter schools. Notably, the ESCs have no regulatory authority over districts or schools (TEA headquarters reserves this right to itself). ESCs are not political units, and as such have no taxing authority. They are funded by state and federal funding, as well as by contracts made with individual districts and schools. TEA rates schools and districts using

810-569: Is made in individual school districts. As a result, it "has outsized influence over the reading material used in classrooms nationwide, since publishers craft their standard textbooks based on the specs of the biggest buyers." Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network , said that McLeroy dragged the Texas State Board of Education into a series of "divisive and unnecessary culture-war battles". In 2001, McLeroy voted to reject

855-433: Is to instill a culture of constant vigilance and accountability across all Texas schools. A statutory addition from HB3 charged the agency with establishing the Office of School Safety and Security - a division consisting of individuals with substantial expertise and experience in school or law enforcement safety and security operations. The passage of this bill created Texas Education Code, Section. 37.1083 and 37.1084. In

900-498: The Houston Chronicle found that since at least 2004, TEA denied special education services to thousands of students, prompting a federal investigation. State education officials set an arbitrary limit of 8.5% for the number of students who could receive special education services. By strictly enforcing district compliance with the benchmark, the rate of students receiving special education in Texas fell to 8.5% in 2015, far below

945-734: The SBOE on July 17, 2007, by Governor Perry for a term that expired on February 1, 2009. In February 2009, he was reappointed by Perry to a term ending February 1, 2011. However, during a two-hour hearing before the Senate Nomination Committee, McLeroy's reappointment ran into trouble. On May 28, 2009, his appointment failed to receive the necessary 2/3 majority vote of the Senate with only 19 of 31 Senators voting to approve, 11 voting to reject, and one abstaining. McLeroy has been criticized by scientists and lauded by conservatives for his actions on

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990-468: The Texas Board of Education. Governor Perry reappointed McLeroy, an advocate of creationism , as chairman to a second extend until February 1, 2011, but on May 28, 2009, the Texas Senate rejected the re-appointment; although the vote was 19-11 in favor with one member abstaining (along party lines; all 19 Senate members voting to reappoint were Republicans, while all 11 Senate members voting to reject and

1035-497: The Texas Education Agency: Exemplary (the highest possible ranking), Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable (the lowest possible ranking). Historical district TEA accountability ratings In the 2011-2012 school year, the district had students in five schools. Academy High School participates in the boys sports of baseball, basketball, football, and soccer. The school participates in

1080-582: The William B. Travis State Office Building in downtown Austin . Mike Morath , formerly a member of the Dallas Independent School District 's board of trustees, was appointed commissioner of education by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on December 14, 2015, and began serving on January 4, 2016. Prior to the late 1940s, many school districts in Texas did not operate schools but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In

1125-584: The arrangement of the Texas Senate , SBOE members are divided into two groups based in part on the intervening Census: As such, every two years, about half of the SBOE is on the ballot. The board devises policies and sets academic standards for Texas public schools, and oversees the state Permanent School Fund and selects textbooks to be used in Texas schools. Since 2011, the board can still recommend textbooks, but public school districts can order their own books and materials even if their selections are not on

1170-409: The authority to oversee a district's operations (either involving an individual school or the entire district) if serious issues arise (such as poor standardized test performance, financial distress, or mismanagement). This can be in the form of requiring the district to submit corrective action plans and regular status reports, assigning monitors to oversee operations (including the authority to assign

1215-422: The beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and when I looked at the evidence for evolution, I found it unconvincing so I don't think he used evolution to do it, that's my big deal." On May 28, 2009, McLeroy's nomination as board chair failed to gain state Senate approval. Only nineteen of the thirty-one state senators voted for him, two votes short of the 2/3 majority needed for approval. Gail Lowe became

1260-551: The board from 1998 until 2011. He was appointed in 2007 as SBOE chairman by Governor Rick Perry . The term ended in February 2009. Before being appointed chairman, McLeroy was vice chairman of the Texas State Board of Education. He has been a board member of the Bryan Independent School District and is a board member of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, which is a Christian adoption organization for "families who have

1305-449: The capacity of the regional education service centers (ESCs) and local education agencies (LEAs) to promote the physical and psychological well-being of students and staff - recognizing that safer schools positively impact student outcomes. We align school safety and security expertise with guidance provided through technical assistance to ensure effective best practices are implemented across the state. The Office of School Safety and Security

1350-566: The collective responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students, educators, and staff. Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of John P. Scott as the new Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on October 3. This position was created following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde to ensure the implementation of school safety policies and best practices across Texas. Scott, who has an extensive background in security and intelligence, will report directly to Commissioner Mike Morath and have

1395-457: The commonly believed theory of evolution. In particular, biologist Kenneth R. Miller called McLeroy's statements on science "breathtakingly" incorrect. In March 2008, McLeroy was criticized for racially and culturally insensitive remarks saying: "What good does it do to put a Chinese story in an English book? ... So you really don't want Chinese books with a bunch of crazy Chinese words in them." He later apologized. In 2009, McLeroy spoke at

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1440-509: The elected members are "not getting their job done and they're not pleasing the Legislature or the citizens, then we ought to take) a thorough look at what they are doing." In 2010, Al Jezeera stated that it was "drafting its own version of American history", including altering school textbooks to remove what it said was a "left-leaning bias" and making changes that are said to have "religious and racial overtones". A series of reports in 2016 by

1485-567: The girls sports of basketball, softball, and volleyball. For the 2012 through 2014 school years, Academy High School will play football in UIL Class 2A Division I. Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system The Texas Education Agency ( TEA ) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States. The agency is headquartered in

1530-583: The late 1940s, state lawmakers passed a bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation. TEA is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas, involving over 1,000 individual school districts in the state and charter schools . It is also responsible for the safety of students. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over private or parochial schools (whether or not accredited ) nor over home schools . Although school districts are independent governmental entities, TEA has

1575-418: The national average of 13%. School districts implemented a wide range of practices to reduce the number of students, including cutting services for certain children with autism and dyslexia, refusing to conduct eligibility evaluations in other languages, and refusing to accept medical records from other countries. Students who are English Language Learners (ELL) also faced a disproportionate impact resulting in

1620-720: The need to enhance and expand school safety measures in Texas following the Robb Elementary School tragedy. It highlights the efforts and trainings by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) and outlines specific actions for school districts to improve safety and security. These actions include reviewing and updating Emergency Operations Plans, training staff, conducting safety assessments, and ensuring compliance with state laws. The letter also mandates random inspections to test security measures and calls for legislative support to secure necessary resources. The overall goal

1665-466: The new chair (since then Barbara Cargill), but McLeroy continued to dominate board meetings in what Russell Shorto described as "a single-handed display of arch-conservative political strong-arming." In an interview in October 2009, McLeroy explained his approach to public school history textbook evaluation: "... we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. The way I evaluate history textbooks

1710-502: The one abstaining member were Democrats) the reappointment required a 2/3 majority for approval. McLeroy lost re-election to a moderate in the Republican primary in March 2010. McLeroy's tenure on the SBOE is chronicled in the 2012 documentary The Revisionaries . The SBOE thus selects the textbooks for the entire state's 4.7 million schoolchildren, where in most other states this selection

1755-460: The only advanced placement textbook for environmental science proposed for Texas high schools even though panels of experts – including one from Texas A&M – found the textbook free of errors. Baylor University in Waco used the same textbook. In 2003, McLeroy led efforts to promote creationism and intelligent design to de-emphasize discussion of evolution in proposed new biology textbooks. He

1800-601: The ranking system. The Texas Education Agency is funded by the people of the State of Texas , at the direction of their elected legislature and with the consent of the Governor of Texas . The agency's budget must be approved on the legislature's biannual schedule. Revenues for the agency come from the state general fund (primarily sales taxes), the federal government, the Permanent School Fund (a sovereign wealth fund created by

1845-582: The same four criteria. According to the TEA, the number of state schools and districts receiving the top ratings of "exemplary" and "recognized" increased from 2,213 in 2005 to 3,380 in 2006. In 2020, all schools were given a "not rated" designator due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In addition to the state ranking, districts and schools can be awarded additional commendations (referred to as Gold Performance acknowledgements) for other noteworthy accomplishments not included in

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1890-408: The state with revenues from public lands), and other sources. * Budget figure is projection; all other years are actual expenditure as reported by TEA After the Uvalde school shooting, Governor Greg Abbott instructed state school safety and education officials to conduct random assessments on access control in Texas public and charter schools. In a letter dated June 1, 2022, Gov. Abbott emphasized

1935-401: The state-approved list. So far, most districts have continued to follow the state-endorsed textbooks, but that trend is expected to change in the next two years as the districts become more cognizant of their available options. Thomas Ratliff, a moderate Republican and the son of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant , in 2010 unseated the Bryan dentist Don McLeroy ,

1980-417: Was one of only four board members who voted against biology textbooks that year that included a full account of evolution. Over objections by his critics in 2004, McLeroy voted to approve health textbooks that stress " abstinence-only " in regard to instruction about pregnancy and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases . In 2005, McLeroy conducted a sermon in his church, in which he said naturalism

2025-410: Was released in 2018. In a grant application to the agency, TEA stated that they will not be able to ensure adequate services for special education students until June 2020. In September 2020, in the midst of several attempts to place Houston ISD under state control, TEA investigators recommended a state-appointed conservator be selected to oversee the district. The current commissioner of education

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