The passing rate for Biology and English II both went up one percentage point between the school years, and U.S. History went down by one percentage point from 93% in 2025 to 92% in 2026.
While Denton ISD’s students showed improvement year over year, the improvement met the state's pass rate in only one subject.
For grades 3-8, students were tested on the following subjects:
- Mathematics
- Reading
- Social studies
Fourth and fifth grade scores improved in math between 2025 and 2026, though all tested grade levels had lower pass rates than the state in math.
For the reading test, DISD students for grades 5, 7 and 8 matched the statewide passing rate for the STAAR test. Grades 3, 4 and 6 saw a smaller number of students pass the reading test.
Eighth grade is the only grade in this age group that takes the social studies test. Statewide, 57% of eighth graders passed the test while 54% of DISD students passed the test.
Why it mattersSTAAR scores make up 40% of the student achievement metric in calculating a high school's accountability score, according to the Texas Education Agency’s Accountability Manual.
The STAAR scores make up 100% of the student achievement metric for elementary and middle schools, according to the TEA.