Landgraf presses TEA to release test scores for graduates
May 8—AUSTIN — State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, is urging the Texas Education Agency to release End-of-Course (EOC) exam results early for students in the Ector County Independent School District, to ensure eligible seniors are not blocked from walking the stage at their graduation ceremonies.
In a formal letter to Commissioner Mike Morath, Landgraf requested that ECISD receive its scores by May 21, 2025 — two days ahead of the statewide release date. Without early access to scores, many seniors and early-graduating juniors could be left out of ceremonies scheduled before May 23, including Permian High School's graduation on May 22.
"These students have done everything required of them — completed their coursework, passed their classes, and earned the right to graduate," Landgraf said in a news release. "They shouldn't miss this moment because of a bureaucratic delay."
Landgraf stressed that graduation is a major milestone for students, families, and the entire community, and that the state should do its part to make sure every qualified student can participate.
"I strongly urge the agency to approve ECISD's request, " Landgraf added. "I am fighting to make sure these students get the recognition they've worked so hard to earn."
The parent of a Permian High School student who is planning to graduate early expressed concern Tuesday that his daughter may not be able to walk the stage due to a technicality.
David Patrick said his daughter has taken on a double workload the past semester so that she can graduate early from PHS because he is being relocated for work in June.
"The technicality is that State test results arrive on May 23rd. Since PHS graduation occurs on May 22nd, 22 ECISD students — who, like my own daughter, went above and beyond, are being told they will not be allowed to walk the stage because they haven't fulfilled all the requirements for graduation (if test results arrive early, then they will not be held back if they passed)," Patrick posted on Facebook.
Ector County ISD issued a statement saying:
"Our long-standing school board policy is that students must satisfactorily complete all coursework requirements for graduation and satisfy all applicable state testing requirements in order to participate in commencement activities and ceremonies.
"Unfortunately, this year, the Texas Education Agency's release of individual student test results is scheduled for May 23, which is after all ECISD's high school graduation ceremonies, except Odessa High School.
"The timing not only affects early graduates but also all seniors who are waiting for the results of make up End of Course exams to determine whether or not they have met graduation requirements and will be eligible to participate in their respective graduations. The alternative is to participate in Summer Graduation in July.
"School district leaders have sent a formal request to TEA asking the agency to release ECISD's individual results on or by May 21 to help accommodate our students who have worked so hard to earn their diplomas and are one last piece of data away from walking the stage. We are proud of all they have accomplished and hopeful this request for scores will work out in their favor," the statement said.
A spokesman for the Texas Education Agency said Wednesday there are ways early graduates can walk the stage.
If a student hasn't passed their end of course assessments and they're trying to graduate there is an option called an individual graduation committee where they take a holistic look at what the student has done and they are able to recommend them for graduation, spokesman Jacob Kobersky said.
Also, if a student is graduating early and they have taken a comparative assessment like the SAT or ACT that also counts, Kobersky said.
He added that there is a provision of law that allows districts to issue a certificate of completion for graduates so they are able to walk.
"But also if it is a situation where a kid has not passed the required end of course assessments, typically, again, as a senior they would not be taking those tests for the first time. There are, I believe, up to three different re-testing opportunities. There are a lot of different options to where it doesn't come down to a situation where it's contingent on the date of a graduation because they haven't gotten results," Kobersky said. "It's designed to prevent that type of situation, so there are a lot of different kind of avenues that the district can explore and they may still be doing that."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Yahoo
Allegan County: Damage from storms is $2.2 million
ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) — Allegan County's emergency management agency says its preliminary assessment has estimated some $2.2 million in damage caused by the severe storm that spawned two tornadoes in the county last week. NWS confirms 2 tornadoes in Allegan County on Thursday The county's Emergency Operations Center put together the preliminary assessment to submit to the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who may decide whether to issue a state emergency or disaster declaration. If issued, a state or federal disaster declaration would open up access to resources for recovery. The county already declared a local state of emergency. The EOC says it found $440,000 in direct expenses and damage to local government property that fall under Michigan State Police administrative rules for possible reimbursement. Allegan County community reacts to state of emergency The National Weather Service has confirmed two EF1 tornadoes touched down in Allegan County on the night of May 15. One was in the Martin area and the other was near the Sandy Pines campground. As of Wednesday, the EOC said it was not aware of any federal financial assistance for businesses or residents with property damage. It advised people to contact their insurance company. Additional resources may be available by calling 211 or through the American Red Cross, which is reachable at (733.27677). The tornado that marched through Martin sent trees crashing down, damaged some homes and knocked out power for days. 'Trees across the road,' street commissioner Rick Martin said. 'You couldn't go in or out of Martin at 11 p.m., 12 p.m.' He estimated cleanup costs at $250,000 — but said it will end up being less than that because neighbors, people who grew up there, friends and family have stepped up. Neighbor David Cheeseman said he saw it firsthand. 'In the middle of the night, neighbors were out helping clean things up,' Cheeseman said. 'The whole town's been that way. I've always liked it here, but now I love it.' Cheeseman planted a tree before he even closed on his Martin home 20 years ago. It has grown taller and taller as the years have passed and as he built a life there. Now, that special tree will soon come down after it was rocked by the tornado. 'It was 30 feet tall until Thursday night,' he said. Cheeseman said the governor declaring a disaster and offering access to more resources for recovery could be helpful. 'There are people that are going to need help for sure,' he said. While the street commissioner also said the extra help would be beneficial, he again praised his community. 'Any help that comes along, we're not going to turn it down by any means,' he said. 'But the community here has cleaned it up. You talk to anybody, it's family. It's just the way it is.' Crews are trying to finish cleanup before Monday's annual Memorial Day parade through Martin, which includes veterans, the high school band and tractors. It's a priority for the village to keep the parade on. 'It's a goal of the (department of public works), the village of Martin to have this to make sure life goes on,' the street commissioner said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap the STAAR test fails in the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A bill aimed at scrapping the STAAR exam, co-authored by State Representative Brooks Landgraf, has failed in the Texas Legislature this session. House Bill 4 would have State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for three shorter tests given throughout the school year. Rep. Langraf released a statement saying, in part, 'As I've reported, the bill I co-authored to scrap the STAAR was passed overwhelmingly here in the Texas House of Representatives. Then we sent the bill—HB 4—to the Texas Senate. Rather than vote up-or-down on the good bill we sent to them, the Senate amended HB 4. Rather than scrap STAAR, the Senate amendments would have just created STAAR 2.0. Lipstick on a pig. This is an old trick that's been done before, and as a member of the conference committee, I wouldn't go along with it. I think it would've been insulting to our students, teachers and taxpayers to change the name the test and pretend like we got rid of STAAR. After desperately trying to get the Senate to go back to the original bill that would have actually scrapped STAAR, they dug in and refused. In this case, not passing the bill would be better than lying to the people of Texas about scrapping STAAR. With the legislative session adjourning Monday, this all means HB 4 is dead. HB 4 (as passed by the House) would have been great for Texas students, teachers and taxpayers. It would have also been good politics for any lawmaker who helped pass it. I won't give up the fight to scrap STAAR, and neither should you. But we will have some more work to do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
Texas Education Agency extends Houston school district takeover through 2027
The state takeover of the Houston Independent School District will continue for two more years, the Texas Education Agency announced Monday. Education Commissioner Mike Morath had until June 1 to decide next steps for the state's largest school district, whose former superintendent and elected school board members were ousted and replaced in 2023 due to years of poor academic outcomes at a single campus and allegations of leadership misconduct. Since then, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has led the district, a controversial figure in Houston who has ushered improvements on state exams while struggling to win over community support. Still, Morath decided to extend the intervention until June 1, 2027, applauding the district for its improvements but citing the need for more progress. That progress, he said, will have to include no school campuses with failing accountability scores across multiple years, compliance with special education requirements and improved school board governance. Morath on Monday also announced the appointment of four new school board members, replacing four he selected in 2023. 'With the changes made in the last two years, Houston ISD is well on its way to being a district where all of its schools provide students with the educational opportunities that will allow them to access the American Dream,' the commissioner said in a statement. 'Ultimately, two years has not been enough time to fix district systems that were broken for decades. The extension of this intervention will allow the district to build on its progress and achieve lasting success for students once the board transitions back to elected leadership.' The Houston Chronicle first reported the extension of the takeover. Under Miles' leadership, the district has experienced extraordinary staff turnover and plummeting student enrollment. Miles, who inherited a district that for years ran an overall well-performing school system, has faced accusations of shepherding a militaristic educational environment where teachers have limited freedom to teach in ways they see fit and children are exhausted and disengaged from learning. Miles, on the other hand, has touted student improvement on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test, and progress in the district's A-F accountability ratings as proof that his model is effective, an achievement that Morath and state lawmakers have publicly commended. During the November election, Houston voters shot down a plan to approve $4.4 billion in academic and infrastructure improvements for the school district — the largest proposal of its kind in state history — which many saw as a litmus test for Miles' support. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
