Texas Public School Ratings Show Improvement

The Texas Education Agency has released its 2026 A–F accountability ratings, and they show measurable improvement across the state. Of the 1,202 school districts and 9,105 campuses rated this year, 24 percent of both districts and campuses improved their rating compared with 2025. Even more encouraging, 585 campuses that previously received something below an A moved up to an A this year. Overall, 85 percent of rated campuses earned a C or better.

For decades, too many families were assigned a school based on their ZIP code. If that school wasn't meeting their child's needs, parents often had few realistic alternatives.

Texas has finally embraced meaningful school choice through the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program. The response from families has been extraordinary. More than 274,000 applications were submitted for the program's first year, with more than 100,000 awards ultimately made.

A school that knows families can choose another educational environment has a greater incentive to focus on academic achievement, discipline, safety, teacher quality, and actually serving students and parents.

When businesses compete for customers, they have an incentive to provide better products and services. When schools compete for students, they have an incentive to demonstrate that they are providing an education worth choosing.

Texas' A–F accountability system provides parents with information about how schools are performing. The system measures areas including student achievement, school progress, and closing achievement gaps. TEA specifically describes the system as a tool designed to drive continuous improvement.

Schools should not be terrified of accountability or competition. Good schools should welcome both because they have nothing to hide. And struggling schools should have every incentive to improve.

The latest ratings demonstrate that improvement is possible. TEA reports that even among high-poverty campuses, 49 percent of those receiving an A–F rating earned an A or B in 2026, up from 47 percent the previous year. The percentage of F-rated campuses also declined.

While 85 percent of rated campuses earned a C or better, that means there are still thousands of campuses that are not earning an A or B, and some students continue to attend schools receiving failing grades.

TEA has identified campuses receiving D or F ratings for school improvement interventions, and campuses receiving their second consecutive unacceptable rating must develop and implement a board-approved turnaround plan. For the children sitting in those classrooms, another year of failure isn't acceptable.

The 2026 accountability ratings provide reason for optimism. Texas schools are improving, and hardworking teachers and administrators deserve recognition for that progress. But let's also recognize the changing incentives created by school choice.

The arrival of Education Freedom Accounts means Texas has entered a new era, one where parents have greater authority over their children's education and schools have greater reason to compete for the trust of those families.

The future of Texas education should be built on accountability, excellence, parental rights, and freedom.