Policy Insight

A-F Key Takeaways: School Ratings Show Continued Progress

This year’s ratings show modest improvements with slightly more A and B campuses and slightly fewer C, D, and F campuses.
A-F Ratings Key Takeaways blog featured image

The Texas Education Agency today announced the release of 2026 A-F Accountability Ratings for all public school systems and campuses on TXschools.gov. This year’s ratings show modest improvements with slightly more A and B campuses and slightly fewer C, D, and F campuses.

A-F Ratings Press Release main chart
Here are a few key takeaways:

  • The share of “A” and “B” campuses grew from 59% to 61% (+2 percentage points).
  • 24% of campuses improved their rating from the prior year.
  • 78% of campuses stayed at the same rating or improved from the prior year.

Behind the topline improvements, campuses made progress preparing students for life after high school. Statewide CCMR (College, Career, and Military Readiness) attainment rose to roughly 87% in 2026, up from 82% in 2025.

The accountability system gives every campus a path to a high rating

Any school in Texas can earn an A rating. 49% of campuses with 80%+ economically disadvantaged students earned an A or B in 2026, up from 47% the year before. The number of F-ratings declined among this group as well.

Overall, 396 campuses with 80%+ economically disadvantaged students earned an A in 2026, including Dovalina Elementary (Laredo ISD, 100% economically disadvantaged), Goodrich High School (Goodrich ISD, 100%), Tool Elementary (Malakoff ISD, 80.4%), and Valley View South Elementary (Valley View ISD, 96.9%), among many others across the state.

What’s ahead

In 2025 Texas made important updates to its accountability system. These updates are still in progress and will not be officially in effect until the 2027-28 school year. These changes are designed to increase the rigor of the accountability system, making Texas one of the best public school systems in the country. These changes also overhauled the STAAR test. They directed TEA to replace that exam with three new, shorter exams throughout the year.

Texas 2036 has more information and analysis of the 2026 ratings, along with resources explaining how the A-F accountability system works, at texas2036.org/texas-a-f-school-ratings.

Carlo Castillo

Carlo Castillo

Senior Research Analyst

carlo.castillo@texas2036.org

Carlo Castillo is a senior research analyst for Texas 2036, where he translates statewide data into actionable insights that shape education and workforce policy for the future of Texas. He specializes in making research accessible to the policymakers, advocates, and the public.

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