FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 15, 2018

Charter Schools Make up Quarter of Top-rated Schools in new A-F Grading System

AUSTIN – Today the Texas Education Agency released results of campus and district A-F ratings of all public schools, including charter schools. This is the first year that all public schools will be rated with an A-F grade. The goal of this system is to help parents and the public more easily understand how a school is doing at preparing its students for the future.

“We are pleased that public charter schools are maintaining their high quality,” said Starlee Coleman, the CEO of the Texas Charter Schools Association. “A disproportionate number of charters make up the top-performing schools. These results are consistent with other research done into the success of Texas charter schools. Our students are thriving academically thanks to the amazing work of dedicated teachers and school leaders at more than 600 charter school campuses across the state.”  

Key results for charter schools:

• Despite educating only 5 percent of students in Texas, public charter schools represent more than a quarter of the schools in Texas that received an A grade.
• 91 percent of all charter schools rated as meeting academic and accountability standards.
• 7 percent of public charter campuses achieved all possible academic distinctions.
• 21 percent were in the top quarter of all Texas schools in the ‘Closing the Gap’ ratings category.

“TCSA believes that the new A-F ratings system is a transparent way to evaluate public schools so that parents and the public have a clear understanding of a schools’ performance. TCSA also believes it will be an effective tool to identify a school’s shortcomings so that efforts can be focused where needed to help the school improve, especially for those schools that received an F rating,” Coleman said.

 Seventeen charter schools did not receive a rating this year because of Hurricane Harvey exemptions.

The following public charters received an A/Met Standard rating (90 or above) for 2018:

Arlington: Arlington Classics Academy

Austin: NYOS Charter School; University of Texas Charter School; Chaparral Star Academy.

Corpus Christi: Seashore Charter Schools.

Dallas: Richland Collegiate High School; UME Preparatory Academy.

El Paso: Harmony Science Academy; Burnham Wood Charter School District; Vista Del Futuro Charter School.

Fort Worth: Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts; East Fort Worth Montessori Academy.

Georgetown: Orenda Charter School.

Houston: Harmony School of Science; Amigos Por Vida/Friends For Life; Accelerated Intermediate Academy; Harmony School of Excellence; Houston Gateway Academy Inc.

Irving: Universal Academy.

Katy: Calvin Nelms Charter Schools.

Lufkin: Pineywoods Community Academy.

McKinney: Imagine International Academy of North Texas.

Mesquite: Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy.

Nacogdoches: Stephen F. Austin State University.

Pharr: Vanguard Academy.

Port Arthur: Bob Hope School.

Round Rock: Meridian World School LLC.

San Antonio: Basis Texas; Great Hearts Texas; School of Science and Technology; School of Science and Technology Discovery; Harmony Science Academy;  Harmony Science Academy; George Gervin Academy.

San Marcos: Texas Preparatory School.

Schertz: Heritage Academy.

Waco: Rapoport Academy Public School; Harmony Science Academy.

Westlake: Westlake Academy Charter School.

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ABOUT TCSA: The Texas Charter Schools Association (TCSA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was created in 2008 to unify, support and grow the charter movement. TCSA represents 90 percent of the 675 public charter schools in Texas, serving more than 272,000 students. For more about TCSA, visit our website at http://www.txcharterschools.org.