Dallas Schools Show Improvement in STAAR Test Scores

Students in Dallas demonstrate improvement in reading skills through focused educational programs.

News Summary

Dallas and Houston Independent School Districts have reported notable improvements in recent STAAR test scores among elementary and middle school students. DISD students, particularly economically disadvantaged, have shown significant progress with a 3-point increase in overall grade-level expectations. Additionally, specific programs aimed at bilingual education have yielded positive results. While the advancements are encouraging, educators are wary about maintaining this momentum amid ongoing challenges related to accountability measures and standardized testing.

Dallas, TX – The recent Texas STAAR test scores have shown improvement among elementary and middle school students, with many grades exceeding pre-pandemic levels. In particular, the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and Houston Independent School District (HISD) have reported significant advancements in their educational outcomes, highlighting progress in districts that primarily serve economically disadvantaged students.

Approximately 47% of DISD third graders met grade-level expectations in reading, coming close to the statewide average of 49%. Overall, DISD has observed a 3-point increase in the percentage of students meeting grade-level expectations across all subjects and grade levels. Notably, economically disadvantaged students within DISD saw a 4-point increase compared to previous years, suggesting that targeted intervention programs may be making an impact.

Emergent bilingual students in DISD also experienced a 1-point gain in reading and language arts, which contrasts sharply with the statewide decline of 4 points for the same group. This highlights the effectiveness of specific programs designed for bilingual education in DISD while other regions face challenges.

The STAAR test evaluates students’ mastery of crucial grade-level skills rather than comparing their performance against peers, allowing for more accurate insights into student learning capabilities. This aligns with ongoing educational efforts to enhance curriculum delivery and instructional strategies.

One contributing factor to DISD’s success is the implementation of the Teacher Excellence Initiative, a performance-based evaluation system aimed at retaining high-performing educators. Furthermore, the district introduced the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) strategy to place top educators in struggling schools. However, this model is set to transition to the District Support Initiative starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

Although the recent improvements in STAAR scores are commendable, educators remain cautious about maintaining this momentum. There are growing concerns about the sustainability of progress if key initiatives such as teacher incentives or support programs are reduced or eliminated. The 2024 ratings from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) have now been approved for release after a prolonged legal battle of nearly two years over the ratings system, which measures school performance on an A-F scale.

Prior to these ratings, the issuance of past scores was interrupted due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with subsequent legislative decisions affecting accountability measures in education. Despite advancements in some areas, there has been a concerning decline in math proficiency statewide, as well as troubling trends observed in subjects such as social studies and high school English.

As DISD and similar districts continue to prioritize support for students requiring additional resources, they confront ongoing challenges related to standardized testing and the associated accountability measures. Questions have also arisen regarding the validity of the STAAR test in light of recent changes to its scoring process, prompting some districts to scrutinize the fairness of these performance evaluations.

In addition, revisions to college readiness metrics have increased the difficulty for high schools to achieve an A rating, necessitating higher benchmarks for students’ preparedness for life after graduation. As educational stakeholders push for improved assessment methods, there is a collective advocacy for alternative evaluations that promote a more holistic approach to measuring student achievement and overall school performance.