Houston ISD elementary STAAR scores show better-than-expected improvement, superintendent says – Houston Public Media

Standardized test scores released Tuesday by Houston ISD show its elementary students showed year-over-year improvement in most subjects and grade levels that were part of the annual STAAR exam, which the State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles described it as a pleasant surprise.

The percentages of HISD students who met reading standards increased in grades 4 through 8, with an increase of 7 percentage points in sixth grade and 5 points in fourth grade, according to spring 2024 data released by the district School and Spring 2023 data previously released by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). HISD also saw increases in math scores for fifth, sixth and eighth grades, as well as increases in eighth-grade social studies scores and increases in science scores for fifth and eighth grades, according to the district.

“These results far exceed expectations for first-year growth,” said Miles, who was named head of Texas’ largest school district about a year ago. “This level of growth, even I didn’t expect it.”

Student performance in individual schools, within districts, and across the state is classified by the TEA as not at grade level, near grade level, at grade level, and proficient at grade level. Scores near grade level and above are considered passed by the state agency.

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The TEA is expected to release statewide STAAR scores for grades 3 through 8 on Friday. HISD released its own scores on a preliminary basis, much like it did last week for STAAR scores in secondary level.

And just like high school results, HISD saw year-over-year improvement overall and particularly across the 85 campuses that are part of the New Miles Education System (NES), according to the superintendent. He said these schools saw even larger percentage point increases than the district as a whole, with the percentage of students meeting grade level standards improving at each grade level in math and reading at the schools NES.

An additional 45 schools will move to the NES model next year. The system involves, among other things, predefined lesson plans, an increased emphasis on test-based teaching and higher pay for teachers.

Students at these NES schools, which were mostly low-performing campuses located in low-income communities of color, were not as proficient as HISD elementary students overall, the data showed. Still, the results help make the case for expanding the NES program, Miles said.

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“There’s no doubt it’s been a tough year, with all the changes, some higher expectations and the rigor,” Miles said. “It was difficult for students, difficult for teachers, difficult for parents and principals, there’s no doubt about it. I hope you see from the data that most of our children and our teachers are took it in stride, buckled down and did what needed to be done.”

HISD’s elementary STAAR scores also showed that achievement gaps between white students and those who are black and Hispanic have been reduced, according to Miles.

The superintendent also claimed that HISD’s academic growth, at least in terms of year-over-year STAAR scores, was among the most pronounced the district has seen and perhaps greater than that displayed by others urban districts of the state.

Miles also noted that while HISD’s year-over-year improvement has exceeded that of the state as a whole, the Houston district has lower percentages of students meeting grade level standards than the state average. the state. Miles said he expects HISD students to perform even better next year, when its NES program will already be in place and classes will start earlier than usual in August.

“We know we’re behind,” Miles said, “and we’re closing that gap.”