April 24, 2025

An Update on the 2023 TEA Accountability Ratings

Dear Bobcat Families & Staff,

The 15th Court of Appeals of Texas ruled on April 3, 2025, to reverse a court’s decision blocking the release of the 2023 Texas Education Agency (TEA) A-F Accountability Ratings. This decision reverses a previous injunction and brings closure to a long legal challenge brought by more than 100 school districts across the state. The court ruled that although the system was unfair and unreasonable to districts, it was not illegal.

We believe it is critical to provide our community with accurate context for what these ratings mean, especially in light of substantial changes to the state's accountability system and the meaningful academic progress made by our students and staff.

When I arrived in the district, Hempstead ISD was rated an “F.” Since then, we have taken bold and focused steps to improve instruction, build data-driven systems, and support teachers more effectively. In the 2023-2024 school year, Hempstead ISD improved in 18 of 25 STAAR reporting categories. Additionally, two of our three campuses also showed notable growth in English language proficiency scores.

Despite these gains, the state’s new accountability reset, as well as STAAR 2.0, significantly altered how progress is measured. These changes brought with them a set of new expectations for students in Grades 3-11. 

• Students were required to navigate a different testing format with little warning and no ability to prepare for the new expectations.

• Teachers prepared students based on prior test structures, only to have the scoring methods changed after the fact.

• The CCMR (College, Career, and Military Readiness) adjustments significantly impacted high school campus ratings, altering our district accountability measures.

• Elementary students faced a test that was more rigorous than in years past, particularly for our youngest learners.

• An artificial intelligence (AI) system was used to grade written responses, raising concerns about fairness and accuracy.

This Texas School Alliance article offers deeper insight into how these changes are impacting students and school districts statewide. Under the new system, many districts, regardless of academic gains, have seen their letter grades drop by one or even two levels. 

That is our current reality. Even with marked improvement, the system is created in such a way that our overall score has not moved much. Based on our internal calculations, Hempstead ISD would currently earn a "D"  for the 2023-2024 school year under the new framework, an improvement from where we began, but one that does not fully reflect the hard work and academic progress taking place across our schools.

Beyond ratings, the story of Hempstead ISD is one of resilience, focus, and growth. Our instructional team is working tirelessly to support teachers with weekly feedback, walkthroughs, and targeted coaching. We are aligning every effort to our strategic plan and using real-time data to refine classroom practices throughout the year. Our goal is to become a “B-Bold” rated district within two years, and I am confident we are on the path to get there.

I want to express my deep appreciation to our educators who show up every day for our students despite shifting standards and evolving expectations. The state’s frequent changes to the accountability system add challenges that we cannot ignore. These are policy decisions that often reflect political agendas, not educational realities. I remain committed to making sure our students’ progress is not overshadowed by politics.

Bobcat families, I ask for your continued partnership. Stay engaged in your child’s learning. Celebrate their wins. Ask about their challenges. When we work together, we build the momentum needed to lift our schools higher. We are not where we want to be yet, but we are no longer where we were. Together, we are climbing, and we will continue to rise to Higher Heights.

With Bobcat Pride,

Herbert O’Neil
Superintendent of Schools
Hempstead ISD

Yesterday, we officially cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Bobcat Stadium Track and Field. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate this exciting milestone with us. Your support made this moment possible! Check out captured moments from the ceremony in the photo album.

Rooms Support

Hempstead ISD is making it easier to stay in touch with teachers and get class information from one app. Using the Hempstead ISD app you can easily switch from district and school information to Rooms where you can see your student's classes and engage directly with teachers. Rooms can be accessed via the web and from our district app, which is available for free and can be used from both Apple and Android phones. Get Rooms Support