Stop Moving the Goalposts

A Call for Fairness in Texas Public Education Accountability

For decades, I’ve worked to ensure that Texas public schools are judged with fairness, accuracy, and respect. But right now, our accountability system is doing just the opposite. It’s punishing schools, discrediting teachers, and misleading the public, all because of a decision that changed the rules after the game was over.

Unfair Changes in the Evaluation Process

Recent reports show rating declines for many campuses and most districts. These drops aren’t the result of plummeting performance. Instead, after the school year was complete and scores were recorded, the Commissioner of Education arbitrarily changed the rating calculations.

It’s like the Cowboys beating the Texans 24 to 23, only to have the league commissioner announce after the game that field goals are now worth 2 points, not 3, retroactively changing the score and the winner. That’s not accountability. That’s sabotage.

Such actions erode trust, discredit hardworking educators, and distort the reality of what’s happening in our classrooms.

Distorted Results and Unwarranted Declines

Under the previous rating system, approximately 74% of Texas’s 8,000+ campuses earned an A or B, with another 19% earning a C. Only 6% received a D or F. Compare that to charter schools, where just 60% earned an A or B, and 19% were rated a D or F.

Had the original metrics remained in place, only a small number of campuses would have dropped in rating. Many would have improved. But instead, this last-minute switch triggered a broad statewide decline in A–F ratings. That’s why more than 120 school districts have taken the unprecedented step of filing a lawsuit. This isn’t just bad policy; it’s a betrayal of public trust.

The Inadequacy of A–F Ratings

Let’s be honest: these ratings don’t tell the full story. At the elementary level, they hinge entirely on STAAR test scores. For secondary schools, a few other factors are tossed in: attendance and College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR).

These metrics are not only flawed, they’re disconnected from the curriculum and blind to the broader learning experiences schools provide every day. They don’t measure relationships, resilience, creativity, leadership, or any of the other qualities that define a truly great education.

A Call for Transparency and True Accountability

True accountability isn’t about catching schools in failure. It’s about showing communities what’s working, where help is needed, and how to support every child’s success. We need transparency. We need fairness. And we need policymakers who are willing to listen.

Our kids deserve an evaluation system that values growth, honors effort, and reflects the complex, human work of education. Let’s return to an approach that makes sense, restores trust, and puts students - not politics - at the center.

I urge policymakers, educators, and community leaders to stand with us in defending the integrity of Texas public education. It’s time to stop moving the goalposts. It’s time to get this right.

Scott Milder, Co-Founder, Friends of Texas Public Schools