LHISD officials presented an updated district improvement plan, as mandated by state law, at an Oct. 20 board of trustees meeting.
The plan details goals to raise student achievement in math and reading as well as college, career and military readiness, or CCMR, alongside providing additional support for historically-underperforming student groups, said Heather Stoner, LHISD’s new assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.
The overview
The district is aiming to improve student performance in several areas, including:
- Increasing math and reading performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, test by at least five percentage points at each performance level for each high-focus student group
- Decreasing achievement gaps by five percentage points or more at the approaches metric for historically-underperforming groups, including special education, emergent bilingual, Title I or at-risk students
- Increasing the percentage of graduates meeting CCMR criteria from 78% in the class of 2022 to 88% in the 2025-26 school year and 90% by the class of 2027
- 75% of fourth through ninth grade students meeting or exceeding their previous performance level on STAAR math and reading assessments
- Increasing reading fluency in kindergarten through fifth grade and reducing the percentage of students who perform below or well below grade level by at least five percentage points
To accomplish these goals, LHISD will provide professional learning for teachers in math, reading and other core subjects alongside training for instructional coaches who will guide strategies in the classroom, Stoner said.
The district will continue to update curriculum and ensure instructional materials are rigorous and engaging, she said. Teachers will monitor students’ progress before the end of each unit and analyze student data.
LHISD will provide targeted support for emergent bilingual students through professional development for emergent bilingual teachers as well as newcomer programs and summer school. Additionally, the district will assist students with dyslexia and special education needs and provide early intervention for students in reading and math.
The district wants to help students perform better on the Texas Success Initiative, or TSI, SAT and college test prep courses, Stoner said. LHISD is aiming to increase access to its career and technical education, or CTE, programs and industry-based certifications while also forming partnerships with colleges and career industries, she said.
What else?
The district improvement plan outlines providing healthy and safe learning environments for students and staff through programming on preventing suicide, bullying, harrassment, and dating violence. LHISD will train staff on shared expectations for student behavior and aim to close gaps for students in accessing mental health support, Stoner said.
Additional goals detail the district being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and engaging in dialogue with LHISD stakeholders, which includes recruiting and retaining high-quality staff, Stoner said. The district will work to increase communication with parents and community members, she said.
The district’s final goal highlights maintaining effective fiscal management of its resources and facilities to maximize possible savings.
LHISD is asking voters to approve a nearly $0.07 tax rate increase in a Nov. 4 election following two years of budget cuts. Early voting for the election began Oct. 20.
Did you know
Each school year, the Texas Education Agency rates school districts on an A-F scale based on three criteria: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. Elementary and middle school ratings are largely based on the STAAR test, which students begin taking in third grade, while high school ratings are based on the STAAR and how well students are prepared for success after graduation.
Liberty Hill ISD maintained B ratings for both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, consistent with the rating the district earned for the 2022-23 school year.
The TEA released public school accountability ratings for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years on Aug. 15, wrapping up a legal battle that began nearly two years prior.
