In a recent announcement, the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) superintendent highlighted encouraging preliminary data from the STAAR state assessments, indicating that the district’s improvement strategies are taking effect.
Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde expressed optimism, stating, “In many areas, we are outpacing the state. We’re not quite at the state level in all areas yet, but we are getting closer to that state performance.”
Elizalde attributed the gains to the full implementation of a new curriculum, competitive teacher compensation, and the dedication of educators within the district.
She encouraged all stakeholders, including educators, parents, guardians, and students, to take a moment to appreciate their progress, stating, “Job well done. There’s more work to do, but I hope our educators, our parents and guardians, and students get a little moment to say ‘Alright, we’re on the track.'”
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) reported that 47% of DISD third graders met grade level on the reading test. This figure shows an increase from 42% the previous year.
Fourth graders also demonstrated improvement, with 52% achieving grade level, compared to 45% last year. The reading results for fifth through eighth graders also rose slightly, illustrating a trend toward better performance.
In contrast, while the district reported some gains in math, results varied by grade level, with an exceptional rise noted in third grade. However, performance in seventh grade math continues to be a concern, as DISD scores remained below state averages.
In specific figures, the percentage of DISD third graders meeting grade level in math stood at 42%, up from 35% last year. Fourth graders improved from 41% to 45%, and fifth graders showed a modest gain from 45% to 46%. Despite these positive trends, the scores for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students fell short of expectations. For instance, seventh grade results showed a troubling 7% of students meeting grade level.
Elizalde clarified that many seventh graders pursue a more advanced math curriculum, taking the eighth-grade math assessment instead of the seventh-grade test. However, she expressed a desire for improved outcomes in seventh-grade math classes.
She posed an important question regarding the scheduling and teaching of these students, considering whether they are with the most effective teachers and if there is merit in either maintaining or accelerating their learning pace.
She suggested that if all seventh graders took the eighth-grade math test and those who do not pass were given the opportunity to retake the grade, it could provide them a better chance to succeed.
The superintendent also acknowledged the limitations of the STAAR test, cautioning against drawing firm conclusions based solely on the scores. Elizalde raised concerns specifically about the scoring of open-ended essay questions on the exam.
Last year, nearly half of DISD’s fifth graders received a score of zero on their extended response questions, unlike the previous year when human graders were used, which resulted in a 25% zero score. This year’s figure slightly improved to 38%.
Elizalde noted that despite the district’s efforts to study grading practices to boost student success in these areas, the improvements were not as significant as hoped.
“I still think there’s work to be done,” she stated, but emphasized that concerns about the testing process would not hinder the district’s efforts to enhance student performance.
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