Accountability

The Texas Education Agency evaluates public schools and districts under state accountability requirements. In this section, you will find information about a district’s accreditation status, financial accountability and state accountability ratings and standards.

TEA accredits public schools in Texas at the district level for grades K-12. The Accreditation Status, Standards, and Sanctions section of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) states how accreditation statuses will be determined and assigned to school districts. Those statuses are defined as Accredited, Accredited-Warned, Accredited-Probation, and Not Accredited-Revoked. The TAC rules also establish accreditation standards and sanctions, including definitions, purpose and oversight appointments.

The state's school financial accountability rating system, known as the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), ensures that Texas public schools and charters are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices.

The Texas Legislature in 1993 enacted statutes that mandated the creation of the Texas public school accountability system to rate school districts and evaluate campuses. Our state accountability page has information available about our statewide accountability rating system, the Texas Academic Performance Reports, school report cards, and the 2012-2013 Texas Performance Reporting System.