Magnolia ISD won their appeal to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for Nichols Sawmill Elementary and the school has been moved from recognized to exemplary.

In July, TEA released the preliminary results which showed Nichols Sawmill to have a recognized accountability rating.

The 2011 TEA accountability ratings are based on passing rates on TAKS tests, dropout rates and high school completion rates from the 2009-10 school year.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Clydene Freeman said the school received that rating because several students were behind in the writing category of the TAKS test. She said the writing category has to have a 90 percent passing rate or higher to receive exemplary status.

Freeman added that for the writing portion, two people grade each students work. If both people disagree on a grade, a third person is asked to grade the material.

She said the district was confident that some of the students would end with a passing grade. So, the district filed an appeal in July after receiving notification that Nichols Sawmill had received recognized status.

Freeman said two additional students actually passed after being rescored making Nichols Sawmill exemplary.

“We are really excited,” she said.

Overall, 72 of the 202 district or campus appeals were granted, according to a TEA press release.

TEA stated that accountability appeals changed the state ratings of nine school districts and 63 campuses. After appeals, eight campuses and one district moved up to an exemplary rating across the state.

MISD did not change ratings due to Nichols Sawmill’s rating upgrade. Overall, the district remains recognized.

Final accountability ratings show that Magnolia High School, Magnolia West High School and Alpha Academy earned academically acceptable.

Magnolia Jr. High earned academically acceptable, Bear Branch Jr. High earned recognized, Magnolia Sixth Grade Campus earned academically acceptable and Bear Branch Sixth Grade Campus earned recognized.

Final accountability ratings for the other elementary schools showed Magnolia, Lyon, Bear Branch, Smith, Ellisor and Magnolia Parkway earned recognized and Williams earned academically acceptable.

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