Ector County Independent School District fifth- and eighth-grade STAAR tests show an increase in overall passing rates on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR).
The tests were administered April 10 and 11 and the data, year to year, are for fifth grade reading and math in English and Spanish and eighth-grade math. There are no statewide scores for comparison yet.
Fifth and eighth grade students must pass their reading and math tests to be promoted to the next grade.
Twenty-four elementary schools and five middle schools showed increases in math. These increases include double-digit gains for Ector Middle School and 18 elementary schools.
Twenty-three elementary schools and six middle schools saw increases in reading. The increases include double-digit gains for 14 elementary schools and three middle schools.
Doubled-digit gains were seen in reading and math who took the Spanish version of the test.
Elementary schools with double-digit gains in both subject areas are: Blackshear, Blanton, Cavazos, Dowling, Downing, Goliad, Jordan, Johnson, Milam, Noel, Sam Houston, San Jacinto and Zavala, the release said.
At Noel Elementary, 45 percent of fifth-graders passed English in 2017 and 66 percent in 2018.
In math, 55 percent of Noel fifth-graders passed in 2017 and 72 percent in 2018.
Zavala had 48 percent pass English in 2017 and 2018.
Fifty-one percent of Zavala fifth-graders passed math in 2017 and 69 percent in 2018.
At Ector Middle School, 54 percent of eighth-graders passed reading in 2017 and 51 percent in 2018.
In math at Ector, 38 percent of eighth-grader passed in 2017 and 49 percent in 2018.
In English, 57 percent of fifth-graders passed reading and 63 percent passed fifth-grade reading in 2018.
Seventy-one percent of fifth-graders passed math in 2017 and 74 percent in 2018 districtwide.
Among eighth-graders in ECISD, 61 percent passed reading in 2017 and 59 percent in 2018.
In math, 44 percent of eighth-graders passed in 2017 and 50 percent in 2018.
Nineteen elementary schools showed gains in math with eight schools showing double-digit gains.
Twenty-three elementary schools showed gains in reading with 10 schools showing double-digit increases. Five middle schools demonstrated increases in math with two increasing by double digits.
In reading, two middle schools had gains.
Double-digit increases in passing rates in reading and math were seen at Blanton, Buice, Noel, San Jacinto, and West elementary schools. Students who took the Spanish version of the tests showed gains in both reading and math with double-digit gains in math, the release said.
Ector Middle School had a double-digit gain in both reading and math.
The accountability department calculated increases across the board in the percent of students demonstrating progress from last year to this year at the three schools that have been in improvement required for the last five years.
ECISD has eight schools on improvement required status under state accountability measures.
Noel and Zavala elementary schools and Ector Middle School must meet state accountability standards after five consecutive years of being in improvement required. If they do not meet standard, the state can order them closed or take over the district.
Superintendent Tom Crowe, the school board and the community members have provided additional support to Ector Middle School, Zavala Magnet Elementary and Noel Elementary to help improve student achievement.
Instructional coaches, campus curriculum facilitators and administrators are among the staff assigned as additional support to the three schools during the current school year.
Noel and Zavala can avoid state intervention with the reconfiguration of grade levels. ECISD has submitted a proposal to the Texas Education Agency for a new partnership between the district and the Ector Success Academy Network for Ector Middle school.
If approved by the TEA, such a plan will trigger a two-year accountability grace period and protect the school from being closed and the district from state takeover, the release said.
