Harmony Hills is one of just 95 campuses statewide to make a jump from C in 2024 to A in 2025 in the TEA school accountability ratings.
SAN ANTONIO — School accountability ratings are in for the past two academic years, and one San Antonio elementary school received top marks — drawing a visit from Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
Morath visited Harmony Hills Elementary in North East ISD this week after the school improved its state accountability rating from a C in 2024 to an A in 2025. Harmony Hills is one of just 95 campuses statewide to make that kind of jump.
“Because we publicly describe the performance of campuses, our kids do better,” Morath said during his visit, emphasizing the long-term benefits of the A–F rating system.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) issues the letter grades to provide parents and the public with insight into how schools are performing. While standardized test scores play a role, Morath noted that the system goes beyond test data to measure broader indicators of student success.
“They do better in every way academically,” he said. “They have better grades, they show up to school more often, they graduate at higher rates, and they go to college at higher rates.”
Morath credited Harmony Hills’ educators for their focus on closing achievement gaps and delivering high-quality instruction.
“It is not magic, folks,” he said. “It is very skilled staff, a lot of hard work, focusing on delivering great curriculum, great instruction and great academic support — every classroom, every day, for every kid.”
Principal Carrie Elliott echoed that sentiment, thanking her students, staff and the school community.
“At the end of last year, I remember telling our staff there’s a reason why you guys look so tired — because they gave everything,” Elliott said. “I could not be more proud of them and the students. We’re a band of brothers.”
Morath also addressed ongoing challenges in the state’s schools, including academic gaps that remain following the COVID-19 pandemic — particularly in middle and high school math.
“Certainly in secondary grades, we still see gaps in mathematics,” he said. “That being said, we have seen achievement rise materially in both math and reading in the last year.”
He also briefly spoke about the new statewide cell phone ban in schools, expressing optimism that the policy will have a positive effect on student achievement.
We have full list of the A–F school accountability ratings here.