The Texas Education Agency released final scores on June 28, which include exams for reading and math in grades three through eight, and high school end-of-course exams in algebra I, English I and II, biology and U.S. History.
Compared to 2019, there were more students in Texas who did not meet grade level standards across all subjects, with the exception of English I and II EOC exams. As a subject, math saw the highest decline in proficiency in every grade level, according to a news release from the TEA.
“The data may be disheartening, but with it, our teachers and school leaders are building action plans to support students in the new school year,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in the written release. McKinney ISD followed the statewide trends, with the largest gaps showing up in math scores. In 2019, 90% of MISD eighth-graders met state math standards, while 67% of students met them this year.
MISD’s Chief Accountability Officer Geoff Sanderson noted that the district’s younger students were most affected by last year’s learning interruption.
“In general, mathematics performance proved more difficult to sustain than reading, due to the cumulative nature of the subject,” Sanderson said in a statement via email. “This was observed in both elementary and middle school math results.”
While most subjects saw decreases in satisfactory scores, MISD students fared better in reading courses. Both 2019 and 2021 saw 84% of fifth-graders passing reading exams. More high school students passed the English II test this year—86% compared to 2019’s 81%. “These results would suggest McKinney ISD students persisted through unimaginable circumstances,” Superintendent Rick McDaniel said. “The fact that this year’s results actually outpaced the region and state by wider margins is a testament to the incredible work of our teachers and campus leaders.”
The district’s Curriculum and Instruction Department is collaborating with administrators and Region 10 consultants to develop a plan to address learning loss, in addition to supporting teachers and families, according to a statement from Garry Gorman, senior director of curriculum and instruction.
“We are extremely confident in our ability to close any learning gaps,” Gorman said. “After a thorough review of the STAAR data and other measuring points, all campus administrators and teachers will be developing plans to meet individual student needs.”
In the meantime, parents can visit https://texasassessment.gov to understand how their children learned this year’s material and how to best support them moving forward.
