Dallas ISD students are making powerful strides in academic success, with the latest results from the 2024–2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, showing remarkable progress across the board.
Students in all grade levels and tested subjects not only met but often exceeded state performance levels. These gains are especially significant among student groups who have historically faced the greatest challenges.
Highlights include:
- In 80% of the tested categories, Dallas ISD showed larger increases than the state.
- Black, emergent bilingual, and economically disadvantaged students outperformed their state peers in the “all subjects and grades” category.
Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, Ed.D. attributes the district’s momentum to the unwavering dedication of its educators and the district’s bold approach to innovation.
“Let’s remember where we buried our treasure. We are a leader in pay for performance, and the data show that we retain our most effective teachers at a rate that other districts envy,” she said. “Additionally, we intentionally invested in early learning and were leaders in implementing what we call high-quality instructional materials and what regular people call a rigorous curriculum.”
Elizalde shared the news at the July Board of Trustees meeting, where a detailed breakdown of scores painted a clear picture: Dallas ISD is not just catching up, it’s leading.
Board Trustee Ben Mackey, who represents District 7, called the results a milestone moment.
“This is what we’re here for: to close gaps and ensure every student learns,” Mackey said. “We’re raising scores in every subject faster than the rest of the state. This is not just an example here and there, but what happens when a system is built differently.”
Mackey also celebrated the historic achievement among Black and emergent bilingual students.
“We have essentially closed and surpassed gaps with the state on the two student groups who have been the most historically behind,” he said. “They are now outperforming the state in every area.”
To view Elizalde’s presentation, click here.
