In Texas, more than a dozen public school districts face the risk of state intervention if they fail to enhance student academic performance by the next A-F accountability ratings. Preliminary data indicates that at least 14 districts had at least one campus receive a failing grade for four consecutive years.
The districts at risk include Clarksville, Cleveland, Coldspring-Oakhurst, Elgin, Judson, Kingsville, Manor, Nacogdoches, Poteet, Runge, San Angelo, San Antonio, Spring, and Waco. Most of these districts are located in the metropolitan areas of Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, with an average enrollment of approximately 11,700 students. Notably, nearly every school facing potential state action has a higher percentage of low-income students compared to the state average, along with elevated rates of Black and Hispanic student populations.
Under Texas law, the education commissioner is mandated to take control of a district after any campus receives five consecutive failing ratings from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or to close the failing school. During such a takeover, the commissioner replaces the district’s locally elected school board with a management board for a minimum of two years.
Several districts have already taken steps to avoid severe sanctions by either closing campuses that have consistently underperformed or partnering with external providers to manage struggling schools. Austin Independent School District (ISD) is among those at risk, with two campuses failing for a fifth consecutive year, according to the preliminary ratings for 2026. Additionally, nine other campuses in the district have received four consecutive failing grades, positioning them for potential state action if no intervention occurs this year.
Districts have until September 11 to appeal any school ratings. A few districts have successfully avoided state intervention this year by improving their ratings. For instance, Spring ISD, which has an enrollment of around 32,300 students, increased the rating of the chronically failing Dekaney High School by 21 points, raising it to a C grade.
Despite this improvement, Spring ISD remains vulnerable due to other campuses that have failed to meet standards for four consecutive years. Academic performance at Salyers Elementary and Bammel Middle Schools must enhance to avert future state sanctions. State data reveals that, on average, less than a quarter of students at each campus met grade-level expectations on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness this year, with accountability ratings heavily relying on STAAR results.
Spring ISD officials have yet to respond to multiple requests for comments. However, Superintendent Kregg Cuellar has emphasized the district’s academic progress in this year’s ratings, including an overall grade increase from a D to a C and a reduction in the number of campuses receiving consecutive failing ratings. “We will celebrate the gains, learn from what worked, and continue to provide the support our campuses need to move even further,” Cuellar stated. “The goal is not simply to improve a rating. The goal is to improve outcomes for all students — and that work continues.”
School districts are required to develop “turnaround” plans that outline strategies for enhancing academic achievement at any campus receiving at least two consecutive failing ratings and must execute these plans if the campus receives another failing grade. Leaders from various at-risk districts have expressed optimism about improvements after implementing these turnaround strategies, which include introducing new reading and math resources and instructional coaching for teachers. Several district leaders believe their schools will continue to progress and achieve passing ratings in 2027.
“Kingsville ISD recognizes the seriousness and urgency of our accountability results. We will not minimize them or make excuses for them,” Superintendent Luz Martinez remarked. “The consecutive unacceptable ratings at Gillett Middle School and Harvey Elementary School are not the outcomes our students deserve, and we understand the importance of demonstrating significant and sustainable improvement.”
In small districts, the only elementary or middle school often receives its fourth consecutive failing rating. This situation forces students in those areas to choose between attending a school with a history of poor performance or leaving the district altogether. Coldspring-Oakhurst Consolidated Independent School District (CISD), for instance, has an only junior high that has never achieved a passing grade since Texas began issuing A-F ratings in 2019. Located an hour north of Houston, the district serves approximately 1,600 students, including around 360 at its junior high school.
Superintendent Bryan Taulton noted that Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD educators have made a concerted, data-driven effort to boost ratings at their campuses, but acknowledged that significant work remains. The junior high campus must improve its score by three points to earn an acceptable rating next year. “With the momentum we have across the district, that’s going to produce those measurable gains to get us those three additional points — and then some — to be able to have that campus be satisfactory by the conclusion of this current school year,” Taulton stated.
A district can evade triggering the state’s takeover law if it improves the school’s rating or opts for a partnership under Senate Bill 1882, which pauses certain accountability-related sanctions for two years. Local leaders also have the option to close a campus before it accumulates five failing accountability ratings, although recent state limitations have restricted this choice. If a failing school closes, the TEA can reassign its state campus number and history of unacceptable ratings to the school that accommodates most of its students.
In San Antonio ISD, four schools received their fourth consecutive failing grade this year. District officials entered into SB 1882 partnerships for two of these schools and successfully closed a third. However, TEA officials denied the closure of the fourth campus’ state ID number, resulting in its ratings history being transferred to Barkley-Ruiz Elementary School. Officials from the district, which serves 42,548 students, are focused on ensuring that all students at the campus have access to a consistent, high-quality educational experience.
Additionally, three districts that would otherwise be at risk of triggering a state takeover in the 2027 ratings have opted for partnerships at all eligible campuses. Under SB 1882, a district can have a charter network, higher education institution, nonprofit, or government entity manage a campus. Edgewood, Everman, and Texarkana school districts have partnered with the charter network Third Future Schools. Waco ISD also collaborates with Third Future Schools to manage two campuses that received four consecutive failing ratings. However, Waco ISD has a third chronically failing campus — G.W. Carver Middle School — that lacks a 1882 partnership.
Waco ISD spokesperson Jill Anderson expressed confidence that the middle school will enhance its student performance, noting that it has reported its lowest teacher turnover in years and improved its rating score from 45 to 57 this school year. A score of 60 is necessary to achieve a D rating from the state.
