TEA Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Morath SE IMPORTANT ACCREDITATION INFORMATION. ACTION REQUIRED Certified Mail ‘& Regular Mail 073.903 sanuary 22, 2018 Michael Seabolt, Superintendent Kevin Benjamin, President, Board of Managers. Marlin Independent Schooi District 130 Coleman Street Marlin, TX 78661-2809, Dear Mr. Seabolt and Mr. Benjamin: The purpose ofthis letters to provide official notice to Matlin Independent School District (ISD or district) regarding the status of the district and its campuses. The accountabilly ratings assigned by the Texas. Education Agency (TEA or agency), as ciscussed in further detail below, require me to assign Marlin ISD 8 2017-2018 accreditaion status of Not Accredited-Revoked and to close the clstict effective Jul 1, 2018. Background information ‘Mastin ISD was assigned an accreditation talus of Not Accredited-Revoked for 2016-2017 pursuant to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §97.1055(c)(1)(A) because the district received an academic ‘accountabilly rating of Academically Unacceptable for 2011, and an academic accountabilty rating of Improvement Required for 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2016." The district requested a review related to its 2016-2017 accreditation status Gesignment and fllowing the review, in which ne final order was Iasued, Matin ISD entered inte an agreement vith the TEA to abate the proceedings pending the issuance of 2017 academic and 2016-2017 financial accountablity ratings. One ofthe terms of the agreement Provided that ifthe district received a preliminary 2017 academic accountabitt rating of Improvement Required or a preliminary 2016-2017 financial accountability rating of Substandard Achievement, the Commissioner would assign the district an accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked for 2016- 2017 and order closure of the district. Fe papces of aeemiing rape yor of safercyunaccgiabe or nelle pafomsnen, te cade sczubly ag ‘sed irne 2010311 schon yt aetna Sz 201 sch yar ae coms coma 0 TAL fo WHS)In August 2017, the TEA released preliminary accountabiliy ratings, which indicated that Marfin ISD received a financial accountability rating of Superior and an academic accountabiily rating of Improvement Required, representing the sixth consecutive unacceptable academic accountability rating ‘assigned to the district The district did not appeal the 2017 preiminary academic accountabilty rating ‘assignment, andthe rating ls now final and no longer subject fo appeal. TEC §39.151(0) Revocation of Accreditation {A school district must be assigned an accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked itis sssigned a financial accountablity rating of Substandard Achievement, an academic accountability rating of ‘Academically Unacceptable or Improvement Required, ot any combination of the ratings for four Consecutive school years. 19 TAC §97.1055(d). Pursuant to TEC §§39.051-39.052 and 19 TAC. {§97.1055(d)(1)(A), Martin ISD's accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked for 2017-2018 is based fon the assignment of a 2011 academic accountabilly rating of Academical Unacceptable, and an academic accountabilty rating of Improvement Required fr 2013, 2014, 2018, 2016, and 2017. Allrights. to appeal the ratings identified above have been waived or exhausted, and these ratings are now final and no longer subject to appeal. TEC §28.151(¢). ‘Due to the academic accountability ratings assigned to Marin ISD, | find that | must assign the district a 2017-2018 accrediation status of Not Accredited-Revoked and order closure of the district effecive ‘uly 1, 2018. The procedures avaliable to the district to request a review of the accreditation status ‘assignment ae discussed below. The order of closure will result in annexation of Martin ISD. Conservator Appointment ‘As announced in the correspondence dated January 31, 2017, the conservator appointment wil remain suspended during the appointment of the board of managers. Public Notification: Accreditation Status Districts that are assigned a status of Not Accredited-Revoked must take specific actions to noily the Parents of students enrolled in the district and property owners in the district. The requirements for pubic notification are specified in 19 TAC §97. 1086(9, and a template that reflects the TEA-required format and language for the public notice is posted st hip: /tea.texas.govaccredstatus!. Marin ISO must complete the notification requirement no later than February 21, 2018. Marin ISD also must send the TEA by certified mall, return receipt requested, documentation showing complanee with the notification requirement. This documentation may be addressed as follows: Division of Accreditation ‘Texas Education Agency 41701 North Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78701 Fax: (612) 475-3065 Districts with an accreditation status below Accredited may be subject to additional accrediation sanctions 26 referenced in 19 TAC Chapter 97, Planning and Accountability, Subchapter EE. Questions. related to the public notification requirements may be addressed to accred@tea texas gov oF (512) 463- 5809,Informa’ Review In accontance with 19 TAC §187.1123, the district may request en informal review related to the: assignment of a 2017-2018 accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked. However, an informal review shall be provided only if the ISD submits @ writen request for informal review not later than. February 5, 2018. 19 TAC §187.1123(b). Witten information may be submited by the required deacine- for requesting an informal review. 19 TAC §157.1123(c). A final decision may be made based solely on the written correspondence sent by the ISD. The request for informal review must be in waiting and received by TEA no lator than February 8, 2018, and addroscod 2e allows: Division of Enforcement Coordination ‘Texas Education Agency 41704 North Congress Avenue ‘Austin, Texas 78701 Fax: (512) 475-3665 rcement Coot tea texas.aov ‘Should the district wish to appear in person atthe review or attend via telephonic conference, the dstict ‘must give such notification within its request for review no later than February 5, 2(48, and subsequent rotication from TEA will be issued scheduling the review. The district is not rezuired to attend the review, towever, ifthe district requests @ review and chooses not to attend, the reviaw wil proceed, and {final decision willbe made based upon the documentation that was submitted by the district, any, with its request for review. 19 TAC §157.1123() If you stbmit a timely request for review of the 2017-2018 accreditation status of Not Accredited- Revoked and | do not change my decision regarding the accreditation talus during the informsl review, you will have an opportunity to file a petition for review with the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for hearing pursuant to TEC §39A.301, if you fist satisfy the requirements of 19 TAC §157.1155, Any hearing provided shall be limited to the specie ndings and/er recommendations {elalied inthis correspondence. Pursuant to TEC §394.301(b), the administrative law judge must uphold my deciion unless the administrative law judge finds the decision is not supported by substantial ‘evidence, The decision ofthe administrative law judge i final and may not be appealed. Given the expectations of state law regarding accreditation status and my concem for the long-term education ofthe students served by Martin ISO, lam compelled to move forward wih this process. It's my sincere desire that the agency, the district, and the communlly work together in a cooperative and productive manner. ‘Any questons you may have regarding accreditation may be addressed to the Division of Accreditation at (612) 463-5889 or by email at accred@tea texas.aov. ‘Any questons you may have regarding the informal review process may be addressed to the Division of Enforcement Coordination at (512) 463-3847 or EnforcementCoordinalion@tea.texas.qov— Zl A ‘tik Neva Canisserer of aucaton MMce ce; Dr. Jerry Mazo, Executive Director, Region 12 ESC Penny Schwinn, Chief Deputy Commissioner, Academics, TEA ‘A4. Crabil, Deputy Commissioner, Governance, TEA Kara Belew, Deputy Commissioner, Finance, TEA Martin Winchester, Deputy Commissioner, Educator Support, TEA Joe Siedleck,, Associate Commissioner, System Suppor, TEA Leo Lopez, Associate Commissioner/Chief School Finance Officer, TEA ory Green, Associate Commissioner, Grants and Compliance Oversight, TEA ‘Von Byer, General Counsel, TEA CCvistopher Jones, Senior Legal Counsel, TEA Lean Marin, Orrector, Accreditation and Waivers, TEA Lizette Ridgeway, Director, School Improvement, TEA off Cotril, Director, Governance and Investigations, TEA