AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- More than two-thirds of Texas school districts received one of the two highest possible ratings when the state issued its annual report card on Friday, a big improvement over last year's scores that was due largely to a measure that allows students to be credited for improvement despite not passing.
The number of districts rated as exemplary -- the highest grade given out by the Texas Education Ageny -- was more than double the number last year.
Most of the improvements were made possible using the Texas Projection Measure, which factors in a projection of students' future performance on the state's standardized test.
The number of schools receiving the state's lowest rating, academically unacceptable, dropped from 87 last year to 45 this year.
In San Antonio the Northside Independent School District, Northeast Independent School District, Judson Independent School District, South San Independent School District and Comal Independent School District were named recognized districts. That is the second highest rating districts can receive. However, the San Antonio Independent School District was rated academically uacceptable.
School districts and campuses are rated based on student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and a standardized test for special education students, along with dropout and completion rates. Schools receive ratings of exemplary, recognized, acceptable or unacceptable.
Most of the more than 1,200 school districts and charter operators in Texas -- 597 -- received a recognized rating, the second highest. More than 300 were rated academically acceptable.
More than half of the 239 schools that were given an exemplary rating this year only got there with the help of the projection measure or another exception.
This is the second year the state has used the projection measure. Last year, more than 70 exemplary school districts -- almost two-thirds of the highest rated schools -- depended on the projection measure for the top rating.
Critics, who have become increasingly vocal recently, argue that the projection measure hasn't been accurate and artificially inflates the ratings.
Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott has said he would be open to scrapping the measure if the Legislature sees fit, but he stood by the projection formula.
"This is pretty accurate, I see a high correlation of success," Scott said Friday after releasing the 2010 results. "This system works and it's valid."
Advocates of the projection measure say it rewards schools with a large percentage of disadvantaged students who are making consistent improvements, even if they fall short of minimum standards.
Scott repeated that the projection measure only boosts the state rating, it does not change individual student scores.
"You do not get out of giving services to students," he said.
