2023 Results Driven Accountability (RDA): Determinations and Monitoring

Local educational agencies (LEAs) have now been assigned Results Driven Accountability (RDA) program area determinations for monitoring activities and support interventions during the 2023–2024 school year. This notice provides information about the adoption of the RDA system into rule, LEA determinations, and related monitoring activities for LEAs. 

Reminder: What is RDA? 

RDA is a data-driven monitoring framework consisting of indicators in three program areas: bilingual education/English as a second language/emergent bilingual (BE/ESL/EB), special education (SPED), and other special populations (OSP). It results in a summative performance level determination issued annually to each LEA, in a range from 1 to 4. The determination levels are used by the LEA to engage in intervention and continuous improvement activities with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Many LEAs also adopt an RDA target as a strategic goal and/or use RDA indicators to evaluate their own performance with students in special populations.   

2023 Accountability Manual: Chapter 12—Results Driven Accountability 

Chapter 12—Results Driven Accountability (RDA) and Appendix K in the 2023 Accountability Manual  (2023 Accountability Manual webpage) were adopted into rule at 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §97.1001, effective November 14, 2023. In previous years, RDA was adopted as a separate rule. Education service center (ESC) and LEA staff can still access RDA information from prior years from the RDA Documentation webpage. 

The new RDA chapter in the 2023 Accountability Manual describes the RDA guiding principles, data sources, data processing requirements, and other information utilized for assigning performance levels (PLs) to the indicators for the special education (SPED), other special populations (OSP), and bilingual education/English as a second language/emergent bilingual (BE/ESL/EB) program areas. The chapter also includes newly updated and user-friendly information about the federal equity requirements and calculations for significant disproportionality (SD). Specific information about the data sources is included for each indicator in Appendix K. 

LEA Program Area Determinations Levels 

The RDA webpage contains intervention and submission calendars, as well as Determination Level (DL) frameworks that describe the underlying principles and method for assigning DLs to LEA program areas. This method utilizes one of the following four determinations for each program area: Meets Requirements (DL 1), Needs Assistance (DL 2), Needs Intervention (DL 3), and Needs Substantial Intervention (DL 4). Determinations for OSP and BE/ESL/EB solely utilize program specific PLs related to the RDA indicators. However, SPED program area determinations also use four additional PLs assigned to each of the federally required elements (FREs), which are described in the DL framework for SPED.  

The 2023 RDA masked district report and data download, including FRE PLs, and program area determinations are now published on the RDA Data and Reports website. LEA determinations are scheduled to be posted in the Ascend Texas application, accessible through the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) by January 24, 2024.  

Monitoring Activities and Interventions 

For the 2023–2024 school year, LEAs are selected for monitoring activities and intervention supports based on their 2022 determinations for cyclical monitoring and their 2023 determinations and SD year 3 designations for targeted monitoring and intensive supports. Although many requirements remain unchanged from the previous year, all updated monitoring and intervention requirements are described in the 2023–2024 Results Driven Accountability Intervention Requirements, 2023–2024 Special Populations Monitoring Results Driven Accountability Intervention and Submission Calendar (for BE/ESL/EB and OSP), and 2023–2024 Special Education Results Driven Accountability Intervention and Submission Calendar. 

Data Issues and Unanticipated Circumstances 

If an unanticipated circumstance impacts an LEA’s ability to meet the required intervention timelines, information detailing the individual circumstances, along with a projected date for completing the interventions, should be submitted to TEA as soon as possible. Such a request does not defer other requirements contained in this correspondence or other monitoring documents, but it will be considered. 

If data accuracy or integrity issues are identified by TEA, either during a data review or during the implementation of the required intervention activities, the LEA will be required to address procedural concerns and institute systematic improvements for collecting and submitting data. Data accuracy or data integrity issues may also result in the LEA being subjected to escalated oversight, interventions, and/or sanctions. Should data accuracy or data integrity issues be identified from other monitoring activities the TEA is required to conduct, including monitoring activities related to accreditation determinations or compliance with federal formula or discretionary grant requirements, the LEA will receive notification in a timely manner from appropriate TEA staff. 

RDA Overview Training and Resources 

In addition to the resources described above, an RDA overview recording will be posted to the RDA webpage by January 18, 2024. TEA will also host a self-assessment overview training for BE/ESL/EB and OSP program areas on January 25, 2024.  

Contact

To request assistance in accessing the Ascend Texas application, submit information related to an unanticipated circumstance, or address general questions, please contact the Department of Special Populations General Supervision and Monitoring in the Office of Special Populations and Student Supports by phone at (512) 463-9414 or by email at reviewandsupport@tea.texas.gov.