New STAAR results released Tuesday show modest academic gains across Texas, with several North Texas school districts reporting improvements in reading and math while continuing to face challenges in key areas.
The Texas Education Agency released results for students in grades 3rd through 8th. Statewide, scores improved in subjects including math and social studies, while reading performance remained relatively flat.
In North Texas, Fort Worth ISD posted some of the strongest gains among large districts.
The district saw reading scores increase by about 3% overall and math scores rise by about 6%. While those improvements represent meaningful progress, Fort Worth ISD continues to perform below the state average.
In North Texas, Dallas ISD saw mixed results.
Third-grade reading scores declined by 1%, while third-grade math scores increased by 7%.
Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde described the numbers as preliminary and said district officials often see changes as they continue analyzing the data and sample sizes used in the state’s reporting.
She said the district has worked to narrow performance gaps with the state and has seen success in many areas.
Elizalde also questioned the usefulness of year-to-year comparisons because of changes made to the STAAR test in recent years.
“We actually haven’t had two years that have been exactly apples to apples. Because, as you may recall, we’ve had a test change that occurred in 2022. Then we had automated grading that was initiated, and that was in 2023,” she said.
In North Texas, Arlington ISD leaders also cautioned against placing too much emphasis on a single test score.
Superintendent Matt Smith said the district is focused on measuring individual student growth over time.
The district saw significant improvement at campuses serving higher numbers of at-risk students after investing additional resources in those schools. Smith said reading scores at those campuses improved significantly, though district leaders are still working to replicate those gains across Arlington ISD.
Math remains a priority for the district moving forward.
“We’re getting ready for a heavy investment in math this year. We know our math scores aren’t where we wanted them to be in the past few years. And so, we’re going to have a heavy investment in math, and that’s going to be high-quality professional learning,” Smith said.
Smith said district leaders are also closely examining third-grade performance. Because those students are taking the STAAR exam for the first time, Arlington ISD is studying how they are demonstrating academic growth through state assessments.
Parents can access their children’s STAAR scores through their school district’s online portal.