Results of the 2019 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test show areas of growth for Ector County Independent School District students, but the district still lags behind the state.
District and campus leaders placed an emphasis on increasing student performance from the state’s minimum standard called approaches grade level, to the higher achievement standards called meets grade level and masters grade level, a news release stated.
Students must pass fifth and eighth grade math and reading STAAR tests to go on to the next grade.
THIRD GRADE
In third grade reading, 66 percent approached grade level, compared to 68 percent in 2018.
Thirty-three percent of third graders met grade level in 2018 and 2019 and 19 percent were in the masters category this year up from 16 percent last year.
This year statewide, 76 percent approached grade level in third grade reading; 44 percent met grade level; and 28 percent mastered grade level.
In 2018 in third grade reading, 76 percent approached grade level; 42 percent met grade level; and 24 percent mastered grade level statewide.
In third grade math in ECISD, 66 percent approached grade level in math compared to 67 percent in 2018.
Thirty-five percent met grade level in third grade math, which was the same as last year; and 16 percent mastered it this year, compared to 15 percent last year.
Statewide, 78 percent approached grade level; 47 percent met; and 24 percent mastered.
In 2018 in third grade math, 77 percent approached grade level; 46 percent met; and 23 percent mastered.
FIFTH GRADE
In fifth-grade reading in ECISD, 75 percent approached grade level this year; 69 percent approached last year.
Thirty-eight percent met grade level in reading this year up from 37 percent in 2018. Sixteen percent mastered in 2019 year and 13 percent last year.
Statewide, 77 percent approached grade level in reading; 51 percent met grade level; and 29 percent mastered.
In fifth-grade math, 80 percent approached grade level in 2019 compared to 81 percent in 2018; 43 percent met grade level compared to 41 percent in 2018; and 23 percent mastered, compared to 17 percent in 2018.
Statewide, 84 percent approached grade level; 57 percent met grade level; and 30 percent mastered.
EIGHTH GRADE
In eighth grade reading, 66 percent approached grade level compared to 61 percent in 2018.
Twenty-three percent met grade level in eighth grade reading 2019 compared to 17 percent in 2018; and 2 percent mastered in 2018 and 2019.
Seventy-percent approached grade level in eighth grade math, which was the same as 2018.
Twenty-three percent met grade level, compared to 17 percent in 2018; and 2 percent mastered, which was the same in 2018.
Statewide, 77 percent approached; 53 percent met; and 27 percent mastered.
In 2018, 76 percent approached; 46 percent met; and 25 percent mastered.
Goal 1 of the district improvement plan is to meet or exceed the state average on all tests by 2024. When considering each of the three standards — approaches grade level, meets grade level and masters grade level — ECISD students gained some ground on the state, in at least of those standards, for reading in all grades third through eighth; for math in fifth, seventh and eighth grade; Social Studies in eighth grade; science in eighth grade; and the U.S. history end-of-course exams.
The Texas Education Agency will release accountability ratings in August.
