Arlington ISD is slowly inching toward a higher grade in Texas\u2019 academic accountability system as three of the district\u2019s lowest-performing schools made significant strides.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The school district, along with others in the Arlington area, received their 2026 ratings Friday from the Texas Education Agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Arlington ISD maintained its C rating, while Kennedale ISD rose to a B. Mansfield ISD\u2019s grade stayed at a B.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at the ratings.<\/p>\n
Arlington ISD<\/p>\n
Arlington\u2019s multiyear climb took another step forward.<\/p>\n
This year, the district received a 78, its highest score since 2022, a year before the agency changed its measures for the accountability system.<\/p>\n
The district reduced its number of F-rated campuses from eight to five. Miller Elementary, Morton Elementary, Peach Elementary, Swift Elementary and Anderson Elementary all received F ratings. Anderson was the only school already with an F.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Altogether, the district saw 29 campuses receive higher scores than last year, while 17 schools improved by a letter grade.<\/p>\n
However, 34 campuses decreased, with the most drastic decline coming at Swift Elementary, which dropped from 75 to 57.<\/p>\n
Some of the district\u2019s consistently low-performing schools did make strides. Two schools in the district that received three F-ratings in a row, Rodriguez Junior High and Thornton Elementary, rose to D ratings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those campuses were two consecutive F-ratings from triggering a law requiring Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to either close them or replace the school board and superintendent with state appointees.<\/p>\n
Superintendent Matt Smith said he\u2019s excited about the changes made so far to support students\u2019 academic achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not done yet, but we know we\u2019re on the right track,\u201d Smith said in a news release.<\/p>\n
Smith said he hopes to apply what worked at campuses that saw big gains to others in the district.<\/p>\n
“These campuses tell us the strategies are working,” Smith said. “We put targeted instructional and operational support where students needed it most, and the results followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arlington ISD submitted roughly 3,268 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, to the state for a rescore, according to a news release. Sections of the STAAR are now scored by computers rather than humans<\/a>, a practice that began in 2024.<\/p>\n Last year, the district submitted roughly 4,000 tests to the state for a rescore. Due to a technical error, those rescored tests were not factored into last year\u2019s initial Texas Education Agency ratings release and were later corrected<\/a>.<\/p>\n The release stated 22% of this year\u2019s rescored tests received a higher score after being graded by a human.<\/p>\n Mansfield ISD<\/p>\n Mansfield ISD\u2019s overall score remained an 87.<\/p>\n For the second year in a row, no Mansfield school received an F.<\/p>\n Similar to last year\u2019s ratings, 20 campuses scored an A, 18 received a B, six are a C, and three are a D.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alma Martinez Intermediate School, Mansfield Legacy High School and Thelma Jones Elementary School all moved from a B to an A. Mansfield Legacy High School\u2019s grade rose by 16 points.<\/p>\n Kenneth Davis Elementary and Imogene Gideon Elementary dropped significantly. Davis Elementary decreased 20 points, while Gideon Elementary declined 19 points. Davis Elementary was brought down from an A to a C, and Gideon dropped from a C to a D.\u00a0<\/p>\n Six of MISD\u2019s 17 elementary schools scored below a B, while all six of its high schools received an A.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kennedale ISD<\/p>\n Kennedale ISD saw gains across most schools, with the largest jump at James F. Delaney Elementary.<\/p>\n The district\u2019s overall grade jumped from 77 to 81, bringing the district to a B for the first time since 2022.<\/p>\n All but one district school, Kennedale Junior High, saw improved scores. James F. Delaney\u2019s grade rose by 20 points, bringing it from a D to a B.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: This is a developing story and will be frequently updated throughout the day.<\/p>\n Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bianca Rodriguez-Mora is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at bianca@fortworthreport.org.<\/p>\n