Texas school districts that bore the brunt of Hurricane Rita won’t be penalized under the state’s accountability system.
Districts that missed 10 or more instructional days between Sept. 21 and Nov. 3 will not have their accountability scores published if they dropped below the level reported for the 2004-05 school year, Texas Education Commissioner Shirley J. Neeley announced on April 6.
The state estimates that about 25 districts were closed for at least 10 school days before and after Hurricane Rita struck eastern Texas on Sept. 24, said Debbie Graves Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency.
If any of those districts score at or above the level of 2004-05, their scores will be published, she said.
The exemption will not apply to federal accountability reports under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
