TEA: Austin ISD meets accountability standards, some schools still require improvement

Three of the schools that received "Improvement Required" ratings in 2013 met all four index targets this year: Rodriguez Elementary School, Dobie Middle School and Lanier High School.

"We're really proud of the principals and the teachers at those schools," Cruz said.

High schools that received the Improvement Required rating struggled with Index 4, postsecondary readiness, which indicates whether students are prepared to move forward to college and career.

Interim Chief Schools Officer Edmund Oropez said the district will look to help students improve their Level 2 final performance on State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness end-of-course exams.

District officials will review results to determine whether appeals are warranted for the schools rated Improvement Required.

"We started this work since last year and will continue the work and get better at it as we become more and more familiar with the end of course exams. But we feel pretty confident that we'll continue to trend forward," Oropez said.

Eastside Memorial High School is in the midst of a three-year agreement with the TEA to improve academic performance.

"Eastside continues to make progress," Oropez said. "Their graduation rates are up. Their performance is getting better but they're being tripped up on one component of Index 4."

Cruz said the district is proud of students' performance during the transition to STAAR.

State assessments are only one of the tools AISD uses to determine where improvements are needed, Cruz said, noting social and emotional learning and other factors are considered as well.

"We really do look at a much more holistic approach to looking at student performance," he said.

Of the 110 schools that met the standard, 107 received a rating of "Met Standard" and three received the "Met Alternative Standard" rating. Seventy schools earned 205 distinction designations for outstanding performance in student achievement, student progress, or postsecondary readiness, according to AISD.

Earlier this week, the district released its 2013 graduation rates, which reached an all-time high.

Nine campuses earned every distinction designation: Anderson High School, the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, and Blackshear, Graham, Gullett, Hart, Reilly and Zilker elementary schools.

Cruz said there are three primary factors that successful schools have in common.

"One is you have a strong leader and strong teachers who are all focused on student performance and making sure that every individual student has a great school experience both on the academic side and the social side," he said. "I'd say the second thing is that you have a community of parents who come together to support the work that is happening in the school. And I think the third piece is that when [students are] engaged in athletics and fine arts and other activities, they actually perform better."

The TEA surveyed more than 8,500 campuses in more than 1,200 school districts and charters. Ninety percent of school districts and charters across Texas achieved the "Met Standard" rating.

To view 2014 ratings by district or by campus, visit the TEA website.