FORT STOCKTON, Texas — Seven school districts across Texas are jumping on a lawsuit against the Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath.
Two of those districts are in West Texas: Fort Stockton ISD and Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD.
The districts are suing because they say the Commissioner is unlawfully lowering the A through F performance ratings for the 2022-2023 school year.
The suit claims that by retroactively changing the rules, it will lower performance ratings for school districts, even though performance improved.
The Texas Education Code says that the Commissioner must provide an accessible document that explains the accountability performance measures, methods, and procedures applied for that school year — and that must be done every year.
The suit argues that if districts receive lower grades, it also affects enrollment, ultimately reducing the amount of funding from the state.
In addition, ECISD's Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Tuesday evening to discuss joining this lawsuit. We will update you with that information when we get it.