By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The Texas Education Agency Wednesday released the controversial new A-F state accountability ratings for more than 8,700 campuses statewide, with the new letter grades going to the multi-campus districts.
Those districts not labeled with a letter receive one of three ratings under the new system: Met Standard, Met Alternative Standard, or Improvement Required.
Within Montague County the school districts of Bowie, Nocona, Saint Jo and Prairie Valley all received an overall letter rating, plus letter ratings in the categories of student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps.

All the other districts in the county that did not receive a letter rating Met Standard. Campuses will receive ratings beginning in August 2019.
The state academic accountability system underwent an overhaul under House Bill 22 which established the three domains of indicators. This new system has been controversial and undergone many changes before its first reporting. Many educators across the state remain unhappy with the system because they feel it does not provide a true overall picture of the schools.
The Texas Association of School Administrators is calling for a repeal of the law behind the system. In a statement the association said: “To think one letter grade somehow accurately reflects the complex work of hundreds of teachers and thousands of students on one campus, let alone an entire district is really an insult to their hard work.”
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath disagrees stating the A-F grade accounts for more than just standardized tests spanning student achievement, school progress and closing educational gaps.
Bowie Independent School District received an overall rating of C with 78 of 100 points.

Read the full story on all the county school ratings and comments from the superintendents in your weekend News.