NEWS
Ratings plan riles up ISDs- Provision ratings get massive backlash
By BARBARA GREEN
The release of provisional ratings for Texas school districts based on the proposed A-F Rating System has been greeted with a wave of anger and concern from school officials across the state.
When the ratings were released last Friday, Montague County superintendents were no different in their reaction to the “grades” they could receive in the new system.
All the districts in the county with the exception of one, Gold-Burg Independent School District, met standard in 2016 under the present accountability system where districts and campuses either “met standard” or “improvement is required.”
And as recent as two weeks ago, the districts learned about the final distinctions their campuses would receive only to find some of them were given “Ds” and “Fs” under the new system.
During the 84th Legislative session, House Bill 2804 changed the Texas school accountability system so every campus and district receives one of five ratings from A-F. The ratings will be issued for the first time in August 2018.
That bill also required the Texas Education Agency to present a preliminary work-in-progress report by Jan. 1, 2017, noting potential grades be sent to legislators and then released to the public.
Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the ratings in the report were for informational purposes, and the models are likely to change before they become effective in August 2018.
Read what Montague County school superintendents have to say about their provisional ratings and the proposed A-F rating system in your mid-week News. 
Members of the Bowie City Council will face a brief agenda when they meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the council chambers.
Following routine reports and consent agenda items, the council will consider a resolution authorizing submission of the city’s 2027/2028 Texas Community Development Block Grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Then council members will consider approving Bob Blackburn for appointment as a reserve police officer with the Bowie Police Department.
Following an executive session, the council will discuss and potentially take action regarding the annual employment evaluations and duties of both the City Secretary and the Municipal Court Judge.
After nearly three months of no rain, Mother Nature brought the showers this past week.
Downtown Bowie rain reports varied from 7 to 8 inches, while the Saint Jo area reported a 10-inch total. The city water plant in Bowie reported 5.55 inches on Sept. 30 with 1.6 Oct. 1-3.
Nocona saw a total of 6.31 inches of rain across Sept. 26 to Oct. 3.
On Oct. 6, Lake Amon G. Carter saw a level of 917.39 mean sea level rising to 81.31% full. Just one week earlier the lake was 73.6% full, while one year ago it was 94.01%. The lake is full at 920msl.
Lake Nocona was 73.7% full at 823.02 on Oct 6. One week earlier it was 70.41% full and one year ago it was 92.41%. The lake is full at 827.5 msl.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
One Montague County City has joined the battle against any data centers being built in this county and there is a petition drive underway to urge the commissioner’s court to keep data centers out of Montague County.
At a Sept. 28 called meeting of the Saint Jo City Council, officials unanimously approved a resolution stating its opposition to the “siting, permitting, construction or operation of data centers and similar hyperscale computing facilities within the city limits or the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.”
City Secretary Debbie Dennis said several citizens approached Councilor Jack Dunn about their data center concerns and he helped prepare a resolution. The council gave unanimous support.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death