The document discusses how standards and testing have increased over time for schools in Texas and Denton ISD specifically. It notes that while test scores have risen, many schools are still found not to meet federal Adequate Yearly Progress standards due to the tests and standards becoming more rigorous. The document also argues that increasing standards and testing has come at a large financial cost for both the state and school districts.

1. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was a bipartisan, federal education bill signed into law
on January 8, 2002. The federal government required states to establish testing
performance targets that grew incrementally. Schools had to demonstrate Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP). As required, Texas established increasing standards over time.
In addition to increasing standards in 2011-12, the State also abandoned the [TAKS] test used since 2002 and
implemented a very different and more rigorous test, the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic
Readiness) test.
Despite rising standards, Denton ISD schools have consistently exceeded state standards. In the graphs below,
the blue bars represent the standards for TAKS and the red bars for STAAR. The colored lines represent the
performance levels of each student group assessed. Looking at the lines above the bars, one can see how the
majority of Denton ISD students continue to improve upon prior years’ performance.
(all=All Students; aa=African American; hisp=Hispanic; white=White; econ dis=Economically Disadvantaged; spec ed=Special Education; lep=Limited English) Proficient)
Students are learning at higher levels than ever before, yet the accountability system leads our public to
believe otherwise. Along with 72% of all Texas school districts, Denton ISD did not meet federal AYP
standards. This is ample evidence that the federal accountability system is flawed.
For more information on AYP in Texas, visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/.

2. While raising standards, the State cut public school funding by $5.4 billion dollars.
In addition to passing deep budget cuts to districts (including $17 million in cuts to
Denton ISD over the past two years), the State spent $89 million in 2011-12 to
overhaul the testing system from TAKS to STAAR (as compared to $47 million
in 2002), and the state will spend a total of $468,392,617 for the State of Texas
Student Assessment contract from 2010-2015.
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/investigations/staars-price-tag-90-million-this-year
Additionally, federal requirements come at a substantial financial cost to local tax payers. Local school
districts are required to set aside an amount equal to 20% of its current-year Title I, Part A entitlement
($492,611) to provide direct assistance to those campuses in the School Improvement Program.
The federal government requires districts to pay for the transportation costs of students exercising their right to
transfer from a campus identified for school improvement to another campus not identified. In essence, we are
paying to transport students from one effective campus to another when there is no significant difference in the
performance of all students.
Imagine watching the 400 meter dash at the Olympics. Runners rise in their blocks
ready to sprint. Suddenly, the announcer broadcasts, “All runners who fail to break the
world record will be disqualified.” Bang. Go. Sprint. As the starter
lowers his pistol, the track is gradually elevated to 10 degrees. Sweat
runs. Up 20. Runners press on for the world record; gold is not
sufficient. At 33, legs burn. Push. Rounding the final corner
now angled at 45, the world record stands untouched.
Disqualified. Every one. What’s wrong with them? None earned gold.
Are they in need of more training? Like world class athletes expected
to surpass the world record with an unexpected, different [more rigorous] track,
educators must overcome an unrealistic hurdle. Let us hold our press conferences
focused on the game of the game, not on the world-class athletes.
On September 6, 2012, a month after AYP results were released by the Texas Education
Agency (TEA), the agency informed districts of its intent to submit waiver requests to the
United States Department of Education (USDE). The state recognizes NCLB “has created an
obsolete system that does not adequately reflect the accomplishments of the state’s schools.”
Despite this acknowledgement, Texas school districts must continue to fulfill the
requirements and sanctions of NCLB. For more information on the waiver request, visit
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147508792
Despite the challenges set by the federal and state government, Denton ISD will continue to
provide a world-class education to 25,000+ students we are fortunate to serve in our community.
For more information on AYP in Denton ISD, visit http://www.dentonisd.org/federalprograms.