Laredo ISD has been designated a State Recognized School District by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) earning an accountability rating of “B” for the 2022-2023 school year. With this Recognized rating, LISD earned a Post Secondary Readiness Distinction along with 108 Distinctions for Reading Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Academic Growth.
Martin, Nixon, and Garcia Early College High Schools received an “A” rating from the TEA, while Cigarroa High School earned a “B” rating.
“We are extremely proud of our students and staff for rising to the challenge of a more rigorous STAAR exam,” said LISD Superintendent Dr. Sylvia G. Rios. “72% of our schools were rated either Exemplary or Recognized. I am very grateful for the support provided by our school community for the success of our students. It wasn’t one person who made it happen. It was the entire LISD family and this includes our bus drivers, cafeteria servers, nurses, counselors, custodians, security guards, police officers, teachers, administrators, assistant principals, and principals.”
“We are especially proud of the 12 schools that earned an Exemplary rating and the nine campuses that earned a Recognized rating,” Dr. Rios continued. “LISD also had the second highest science score in the region with LISD schools earning 19 Distinctions in Science.”
The A–F rating scale was established in 2017 to evaluate how public schools serve students. The ratings are based on student achievement, academic growth, school progress, and efforts to close performance gaps between different groups of students, such as special education and emerging bilingual pupils. A large portion of a rating is tied to the results on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR), which determines student mastery of the state’s required curriculum
The last formal ratings released by TEA were in 2022, when LISD earned an Exemplary Rating. Due to lawsuits filed by 121 Texas public school districts, the TEA delayed releasing scores for 2022-2023. Due to litigation, scores for 2023-2024 are still pending.
“The lawsuits were filed in 2022-2023 right after the COVID pandemic. LISD did not join this litigation because we were not afraid of a challenge,” Dr. Rios noted. “Instead, we rolled up our sleeves and continued providing our students with a quality education.”
In 2023, the TEA significantly modified its accountability system. The changes included a more rigorous STAAR exam that was administered almost entirely online with fewer multiple-choice questions and an increase in open-response questions. The TEA also recalibrated several scale scores on academic growth measures which are used to determine letter grades for student achievement and growth calculations. Stricter standards were also instituted for College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), increasing the level for high schools to earn an “A” rating, from 60% to 88% of graduates meeting readiness criteria.
“Regardless of the system used to gauge student performance, LISD remains committed to its mission which is to prepare students to be highly successful, critical thinkers and effective problem solvers who are confident, self-motivated, and actively involved in all communities,” Dr. Rios added. “Our task as an innovative public school district is to prepare students for college, career, or the military. We provide our students with choices. Our four high schools provide dual enrollment courses with free college tuition and books. Our specialty schools offer numerous industry certifications which give our graduates an advantage in today’s job market.”
LISD Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Rogelio Garcia also highlighted the 108 Distinctions which acknowledge districts and campuses for outstanding achievement based on the outcomes of several performance indicators. Distinctions are awarded for achievement in several areas and are based on performance relative to a group of campuses of similar type, size, grade span, and student demographics.
“We are anticipating that our 2023-2024 scores will also show increased positive outcomes and marked improvements in the performance of our students and schools. If the same accountability standards of 2022-2023 are applied to the 2023-2024 scores, LISD has a significant potential for a higher rating next year,” Garcia added. “We are most grateful for all the support provided by every department in our District.”
LISD Board of Trustees member, Alfredo Gustavo Perez congratulated the District on its Recognized rating. “This is a very proud day at LISD,” Perez said. “The Recognized rating speaks volumes of the instruction and expectations happening every day in LISD classrooms and the efforts made by our students, teachers, and administrators.”
Dr. Rios finished by reminding LISD parents to continue sending their children to school every day and on time. The last day of school for LISD students is Friday, May 23. Online enrollment continues for the next school year which begins on Monday, August 11th.
For more information, please log on to www.laredoisd.org or contact the LISD Office of Communications at 956-273-1730.