Also, TEA has a limited number of staff members to conduct investigations. Schools are not rated on the integrity of the data that is reported. There are no significant sanctions for unauthorized disclosure of TAAS data. The Commissioner of Education recommends the process and criteria by which teachers, administrators and counselors are evaluated, but the criteria do not include compliance with the state Education Code or TEA rules. Administrative costs, for example, do not include principals' salaries, and instructional costs include counselors even though they do not teach.
School districts have difficulty keeping trained personnel who can properly submit data.
The data entry clerks are among the lowest paid employees in a district and the turnover rate is high. Training is not always available and there is little consistency in the level of training and support the district receives from the service centers. That has not been done. It can't keep up. Compatibility is a problem.