Results of the spring’s administration of the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, (STAAR) showed that Dallas ISD students are achieving above pre-pandemic levels in most subject and grade levels and overall achievement remained steady and stable.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, the district is releasing its internal calculations of accountability ratings for the 2023-2024 school year. These preliminary scores show the number of Dallas ISD high schools with A and B grades almost doubling compared to internal calculations for 2023 ratings. The district is also expected to have no failing high schools and the most in the A-C range since 2022.
In 2023, the Texas Education Agency introduced a new version of STAAR that was more rigorous, as well as new cut scores to determine the A-F ratings. According to internal calculations and based on the new rating guidelines, Dallas ISD is expected to receive a C rating—a 79 compared to last year’s 76.
“Our Board of Trustees values transparency and accountability in how the district is performing, which is why we are releasing these internal calculations,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, Ed.D. “We recently shared results of the STAAR with our board and the public, showing areas where we held steady and areas where we need to continue to drive improvement. We will continue to focus on student success, and our task is made more difficult without an increase to the basic allotment or funding for evidence-based practices.”
We are proud of the work our principals, teachers, and students have done to achieve above pre-pandemic levels in most subjects and grade levels, especially among economically disadvantaged students, who are outperforming their peers in other urban districts in math and reading. Dallas ISD’s student population is almost 90% economically disadvantaged and these calculations indicate we are moving in the right direction but have much more work ahead of us.
“If you are a student from an economically disadvantaged family, there is no better urban school district in the entire state of Texas to come learn to read and write than Dallas ISD,” said Joe Carreón, president of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees. “No one is putting their heads in the sand. There’s lots and lots of work to do, but I want to applaud everyone who is doing the work.”
The district has seen a narrowing of the achievement gap with the state in several areas, and the number of students mastering the STAAR in both reading/language arts and math has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Dallas ISD has made gains in Algebra I with performance on par or better than other urban districts, which is notable given the number of eighth graders taking the Algebra end-of-course exam. Students also showed gains and narrowed the gap with the state in biology and U.S. history. And the district saw significant improvements in English II, further closing the achievement gap with the state.
Dallas ISD has the largest P-TECH program in the nation, which helps the district redefine college and career readiness. In 2023, more than 900 students graduated with an associate degree and 3,545 seniors graduated with an industry-based certification.
“While we celebrate these achievements, we acknowledge areas where continued focus is needed, particularly in math for our younger learners,” Elizalde said. “We are committed to addressing these challenges through math academies and professional development as well as focusing on identifying curriculum needs and better implementation.”
Sharing these calculations for accountability ratings honors and recognizes the efforts of educators, students, families, and community members to overcome pandemic learning challenges. These efforts deserve the support of state leaders through urgently needed funding and resources that will continue to drive improvement and innovation.
“We are fully committed to the success of our students and will continue to focus on the supports our teachers need in the classroom, but we cannot do this alone and without the necessary resources,” Elizalde said.
