The school accountability system is very interesting and very layered. There are several different types and depths to this system. What types of accountability exists? Schools are looked primarily in two broad categories and then those categories include MANY different layers. The two primary categories are Financial Accountability and Academic Accountability. The financial accountability is assessed primarily through the FIRST report – Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas and through the annual financial audit performed by an audit agency outside the district. As well, the TEA has other checks and balances in place to monitor the expenditure of funds such as progress reports, expenditure reports and compliance reports. San Saba ISD has been fortunate to have the posted the highest ratings in the FIRST rating system each year since the inception of the system. This rating recently was published by the Texas Education Agency and may be found on their website at http://tuna.tea.state.tx.us/First/forms/main.aspx and on the ISD website under public information.

The area of academic accountability is much more layered. The levels of academic accountability are best viewed by looking at state and federal accountability. The state accountability is based on TAKS scores for each population of student including all students, Hispanic, white, African American, and economically disadvantaged, other categories include completion rate and drop out rate of these student groups. The federal accountability, called Adequately Yearly Progress, looks at the performance of student groups that include all students, African Americans, Hispanics, whites, economically disadvantaged, special education, and those students who are limited English proficient. As well they look at the testing participation rate in these groups as well as the performance of these groups. Other items in the federal accountability include graduation rates of these groups. The other end of state and federal accountability is called performance based monitoring (PBMAS). This system monitors student groups and their performance on TAKS, as it applies to federal programs such as Title I, discipline referrals of the different student groups, and the District’s compliance on federal program grants. This is a very basic over view. The system is much deeper and very difficult to navigate. Administrators must stay current and read daily to keep on top of the accountability requirements.

This brings me to the actual topic of this article. State Accountability for SSISD in the 2009-2010 school year. We have much to be proud, but we have much work to do as well. The current rating system labels districts according to the levels of achievement in the categories listed above; there are four categories: Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable and Unacceptable. For the 2009-2010 school year the District met 13 indicators at the exemplary level, 5 at the recognized level and 2 at the academically acceptable level giving us a rating of Academically Acceptable. San Saba High School has a composite rating of Recognized meeting 9 indicators at the exemplary level and 5 at the recognized level; San Saba Middle School is academically acceptable with 9 exemplary levels, 5 recognized levels and 2 academically acceptable levels. San Saba Elementary School is rated Academically Unacceptable – 1 area was academically unacceptable -Hispanic Reading, the campus was academically acceptable in 4 areas, exemplary in 1 area, and hit the recognized level in 1 area. The Academically Unacceptable Rating will bring many challenges, changes and requirements to the campus. The District is working with an outside campus improvement leader to identify and address deficiencies.

Please visit www.san-saba.net to view events and find information you need to know about SSISD. As well, don’t forget to sign up for the "alerts" available from the website, and don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for the Parent Portal giving parents access to grades and attendance. Parents, let us know how we can help you the first day of school all the way until the last day of school!! If you have any question about this article or any other question about school happenings please contact me at 325/372-3144 or email me at lglaze@san-saba.net . We are San Saba! We are together!