A New Grading System for Texas Schools

Several Texas school districts have filed a lawsuit to stop implementation of a new grading system for schools. Currently, 60 percent of students must pass the College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) test for a school to receive an A. The new standard would be 88 percent. School districts are claiming that they haven’t had adequate time to prepare for the new standards. They fear that the new standards will increase the number of failing schools and

give the illusion of a sudden loss in education quality that might spur some parents and lawmakers to accept using taxpayer money on private school tuition.

The new standard won’t give the illusion that education quality has declined. Instead, it will reflect the reality that the education quality in government schools has long been deficient.

Under the current standard, a school can receive an A if 40 percent of its students don’t pass the CCMR. This means that 40 percent of a school’s students aren’t equipped for life beyond high school, yet, that school is considered successful. If government schools aren’t preparing students for college, a job, or the military, then what are they doing?

When I was in high school, a score of 60 percent was a D at best, and often an F. Government school districts want an A even if they are failing to properly educate 40 percent of their students. If those school districts truly cared about delivering a high-quality education, why aren’t they setting higher standards on their own? The reason is: They want to present the illusion that they are providing a high-quality education while failing to do so.

The purpose of education is to prepare individuals for life as an independent adult. Government schools are failing miserably.

This would be a non-issue if the government was not involved in education. A completely private school system would allow education consumers—parents and students—to rate schools based on criteria most relevant to them.

A new grading system for Texas schools won’t eliminate the fundamental problem—the existence of government schools. However, it will bring to light the fact that those schools are not preparing students for life beyond high school.