TEA takes school rating appeals seriously: State finds merit in 62 cases, creativity in others.

Byline: Joshua Benton

Dec. 28--None actually claimed a dog ate their homework. But the Texas schools that appealed their subpar state ratings this year offered up a remarkable variety of explanations and excuses -- some sensible, others more notable for their creativity. Schools blamed their performance on everything from an errant fire alarm to a student going into labor -- and, in one case, parent sabotage. "There are certainly some appeals that we think have very little merit," said Criss Cloudt, the associate commissioner for accountability at the Texas Education Agency. "But we look at each one closely." In all, 160 schools or districts appealed their ratings this year -- a fraction of the more than 9,000 ratings TEA hands out annually. The agency approved 62 appeals, often moving a school one rung up the ratings ladder: unacceptable, acceptable, recognized and exemplary. The Dallas Morning News obtained copies of each district's appeals letter and the agency's yea-or-nay response. The state ratings system is based largely on the TAKS test scores of specific subgroups such as black, Hispanic, white and low-income students. A school must produce a given passing rate in each group to earn a…