Fate of Marlin ISD Could be Sealed for ‘20-’21

The novel coronavirus has changed the lives of people across the globe as governments are steadily closing down inessential public activities. The legally mandated social distancing practices may be difficult for some, but for the town of Marlin, it has caused a cycle of confusion and frustration concerning the ever changing status of Marlin Independent School District. 

It was announced by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on April 3 that all districts across the state will receive a Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for 2020 accountability label in order to “recognize that the closure of schools during the state’s testing window inhibited the ability of the state to accurately measure district and campus performance” for the 2019-2020 school year.

Marlin schools have chronically underperformed in the area of academic accountability in years past, leading to an agreement between the Texas Education Agency and Marlin ISD that has been in effect since 2015. 

The agreement, an abatement, is intended to keep schools open while the state and district work together to get the performance back on track.

““We have an agreement to give us additional time to work on areas of concern and promote student achievement,” said state appointed Interim Superintendent Dr. Jean Bahney in 2019, when this year’s agreement was signed.

Marlin High School was the only campus of the three to pass accountability standards for 2019, but the district as a whole received an F. Marlin Elementary School has failed accountability ratings for the past four years.

The questions surrounding a rating for this year and whether the district would be open for the 2020-2021 school year have plagued administrators since renewing the abatement in November 2019. School and city officials alike have been in constant contact with Education Commissioner Mike Morath in an attempt to keep a hold on the situation.

When the City of Marlin hired educational consultant A. Marcus Nelson, it was discovered that there were only a handful of options that could be accomplished for an August start date if the district were to be closed forcibly. The final decision from TEA was initially set to come sometime in March.

Then the novel coronavirus hit Texas. 

Schools were set to be closed during the timeframe when students are usually preparing for their yearly exams, which increased already tepid frustrations.

“It’s critical that during this time that learning gaps are not exacerbated,” said Morath in a press conference. “We know many questions remain over how best to do that.”

On March 16, Governor Abbott used his statutory authority under Texas Government Code §418.016 to suspend annual academic assessment requirements for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year. He also announced that he would be requesting that the Department of Education (DOE) waive federal testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. 

"Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families," Abbott said at the time. "We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19."

On March 24, the Texas Education Agency put in a request to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to waive statewide assessment and accountability requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), for the 2019–2020 school year and received word of approval on March 30.

As a result, students will not be taking the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) this year.

The “To the Administrator Addressed” letter distributed April 2 says that “Campuses identified for comprehensive support and improvement, targeted support and improvement, and additional targeted support in 2019 will maintain that label and interventions for 2020–2021.”

This means that the education of Marlin youth could indeed continue another year, thanks to the impact of COVID-19. 

According to Dr. Bahney, the district has already gone through an informal review and is waiting on final results from TEA. Another abatement will be brought before the school board if and when it is received. 

Monthly Campus Data Reports have shown steady progress over the course of the school year and the performance initiatives set in place under Bahney’s leadership will continue if the review is positive. 

Marlin ISD is currently mid-search for a new superintendent, though schools are closed through May 4. 

Head to the Marlin ISD Website to stay up to date on the latest updates.