Austin ISD students in third through eighth grades have demonstrated significant progress, surpassing their pre-pandemic reading scores according to the recently released results from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
The data, unveiled on Tuesday, indicates that nearly all grades experienced at least a modest rise in the percentage of students achieving grade-level proficiency in reading, with the exception of seventh graders, who maintained a static performance. In the years 2024 and 2025, 53% of seventh graders reached the requisite grade level.
In contrast, the results for math showed a mixed bag of outcomes for elementary and middle school students, with some grade levels making gains while others saw declines. Importantly, none of the grades managed to exceed their pre-pandemic math performance.
This trend within Austin ISD reflects a larger pattern observed statewide. While improvements in math were inconsistent across grade levels, the results in reading language arts (RLA) indicate a recovery surpassing pre-pandemic benchmarks.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath commented on the findings, describing them as encouraging, particularly in reading.
“With RLA scores now surpassing pre-pandemic levels, we are witnessing meaningful signs of academic recovery and progress,” Morath stated. “While this year also saw some improvements in math, clearly more work is needed.”
In terms of reading proficiency, a higher percentage of Austin ISD students in elementary and middle schools met grade level expectations compared to the state average.
Gabe Grantham, a policy adviser for Texas 2036, emphasized that despite the positive growth in reading, significant achievement gaps persist. Grantham noted the necessity of addressing these disparities, especially among economically disadvantaged students.
“We see a massive gap between economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged students — one that is larger than both the state average and comparable averages from other urban districts like Houston or Dallas,” Grantham highlighted.
When examining math performance, the results for Austin ISD students aligned closely with statewide trends, though the seventh-grade results stood out. Only 21% of seventh graders in Austin ISD met grade level standards, which was 10 percentage points lower than the statewide average.
Grantham expressed a mix of excitement and disappointment regarding the overall performance. “It’s really exciting to see some growth in certain grades and disappointing to see declines in others. Austin ISD’s performance closely mirrors state achievement,” he remarked. “However, we must remain focused on ensuring every student acquires the mathematical foundations necessary for success.”
The recent STAAR scores for third through eighth graders come on the heels of another report detailing high school results from the previous week. Families in Austin ISD can view individual results for their children through designated channels.
Middle schools in Austin ISD facing potential turnaround plans are notably lagging in performance. The STAAR tests serve as the primary metric for evaluating elementary and middle schools, and repeated failing scores may prompt intervention from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Austin ISD is currently strategizing improvements for three middle schools – Burnet, Dobie, and Webb – which have received consecutive failing grades. The school board plans to vote next week on proposed turnaround strategies that involve substantial changes in staffing and scheduling, contingent upon TEA approval.
Preliminary anticipations signal that these campuses may again receive failing ratings from the TEA in August, bringing the district closer to a threshold that could trigger a state takeover.
Data reveals that students at each of the three middle schools scored below the district averages in both math and reading.
For instance, at Burnet Middle School, a mere 9% of sixth graders met grade-level expectations in math, compared to the district average of 35%. Furthermore, the percentage of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders meeting grade level in reading at Burnet fell significantly behind the district average.
Dobie Middle School recorded even lower math scores, with only 4% of sixth graders, 2% of seventh graders, and 8% of eighth graders achieving grade-level proficiency.
In comparison to math, Dobie students performed relatively better in reading, yet still faced considerable gaps in achievement relative to Austin ISD averages.
Webb Middle School displayed similar trends, with a dismal percentage of students meeting grade level in math across all three grades, while reading scores, although slightly better, still lagged behind the district average.
Families and educators at these middle schools have critiqued the reliance on STAAR assessments for school ratings. Notably, all three campuses have high proportions of economically disadvantaged and emergent bilingual students, who are learning English and fluent in at least one other language.
While the STAAR test is available in Spanish for grades 3-5, it shifts to English starting from sixth grade.
A proposed bill to replace STAAR with three shorter assessments administered throughout the academic year failed to pass in the recent legislative session.
Austin ISD high school students, meanwhile, showed improvement in math and science but experienced slight declines in English, according to STAAR results.
This spring, 47% of Texas students reached grade level in the Algebra I assessment, an increase of 2 points compared to the previous year. In biology, the success rate was even more pronounced, with 62% meeting grade level standards in 2025 versus 57% in 2024.
Despite these improvements, Grantham cautioned that the situation remains concerning due to the overwhelming number of students below grade level in critical subjects.
“With more than half of our students not meeting Algebra I standards, we are faced with a scenario that predicts future challenges in both postsecondary achievement and earnings,” Grantham affirmed. “When less than half of our kids are meeting grade-level requirements, it ultimately jeopardizes their long-term success.”
Although Austin ISD high school students reflected gains in both math and science, their performance in these areas still falls short of pre-pandemic levels. This spring, 43% of students met grade level in Algebra I, an increase of 4 points from the prior year, but significantly lower than the 69% rate observed in 2019.
Similarly, 63% of students met grade level in biology this year, a 6-point bump from 2024, compared to 68% in 2019. Performance on the U.S. History exam remained unchanged, with 71% meeting the required benchmarks.
In the English assessments, Austin ISD high school students did not see the same upward trend, although the decline in scores for English I was minimal, decreasing by just 1 percentage point.
This year, 51% of students reached grade level in English I, compared to 52% the previous spring. The decrease for English II was more significant; this year, 54% of students met grade level, down from 58% in 2024.
Although the slight dip in English scores raises concerns, Grantham acknowledged that the previously observed growth following COVID-19 was exceptional. “Seeing that progress slip is somewhat alarming and highlights the need for renewed focus to enhance reading proficiency,” he noted.
Disparities among various student groups were evident across all five end-of-course assessments. The success rate for economically disadvantaged students lagged significantly behind that of their non-economically disadvantaged counterparts.
For instance, in the Algebra I assessment, the gap between these demographics stands at approximately 50 percentage points, double what it was in 2019.
Racial and ethnic disparities are similarly pronounced, with three-fourths of Asian students, 72% of white students, and 62% of biracial or multiracial students meeting grade-level expectations on the Algebra I exam this spring, compared to only 26% of Hispanic students and 17% of Black students.
Grantham underscored that while certain high schools within Austin ISD have achieved commendable results, the performance varies widely across the district. In some instances, only 10% of students met grade level on Algebra I.
“No one can rationalize that 10% is an acceptable figure regarding grade-level achievement in math,” he asserted.
According to Grantham, the overarching data from Austin ISD and Texas illustrates that far too many students are lacking adequate preparation for life after high school.
“We believe every student should graduate high school ready to either enter a career armed with valuable credentials or pursue higher education without needing remediation,” he stated. “However, these current numbers indicate that we are still far from reaching that goal.”
Grantham emphasized the necessity for the education system to transcend the pre-pandemic benchmarks. “We must look beyond pre-pandemic performance and establish a vision where every student graduates meeting rigorous standards in math, science, history, and reading,” he concluded.
image source from：https://www.kut.org/education/2025-06-17/austin-tx-independent-school-district-staar-test-results-english-math
