Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senate Bill 6 Would Change How State "Grades" Public School

flickr.com/photos/stuseeger
The Senate Passed SB 6 at the end of March

Senate Bill 6 passed the Senate at the end of March. And if made law, the bill would change how a school is graded. 
 

The Bill – by Republican senator Larry Taylor – would change how Texas public schools would be graded.

Currently, schools are labeled from “exemplary” to “unacceptable” but if made law, senate bill 6 would give schools a letter grade, A to F.

The criteria for assigning that grade, however, wouldn’t change. Districts and schools would still be evaluated off several measures including performance on standardized testing and dropout rate.

Proponents of the measure say that updating the grading system would help parents better understand a school’s performance.

But, Waco I.S.D Superintendent Bonny Cain, says that the bill is responding to a concern that isn’t there.

“I feel like our parents are very well aware. So the requirements are that we send out definitions that we send out school report cards, that there is opportunities for parents to say they don’t understand – that’s not happened. I think the words “exemplary”, “didn’t meet standard” are pretty clear.”

If made law, the new grading system would begin in the 2017-18 school year.