DSISD earns top rating in state appeal

The TEA will not confirm the announcement. Media spokesperson Debbie Ratcliffe told KXAN she cannot comment until the final ratings become public next week.

The district's appeal argued that some students who passed the science portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) were not correctly coded as "economically disadvantaged" on their answer form.

This marks the first time the district has achieved the highest rating since the system was revised in 2004. Three of five campuses – Dripping Springs High School, Rooster Springs Elementary and Walnut Springs Elementary – also received Exemplary ratings in 2010.

Accountability ratings are based on TAKS test results. Public schools students take the test during the spring of 2010 in five subjects – Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science.

To earn an Exemplary rating in a subject area, a school district must achieve a passing rate of 90 percent or better. TEA also looks at a district’s completion rate and annual dropout rate in determining an overall district rating.