Texas Education Agency data shows NCISD students improved upon their STAAR exam scores from spring 2021 to spring 2022 in every subject outside of eighth-grade science, which remained stagnant at 67%, and eighth-grade social studies, which dropped from 56% to 54%.
NCISD Superintendent Matt Calvert said the results indicate growth for district students in many areas.
“While the final results and ratings will not be available until August, we are excited to see the growth from last year and will continue to work to improve student achievement in the coming school year,” Calvert said in an emailed statement.
Despite the year-over-year improvements, NCISD students’ scores this spring were generally lower than state averages with the exception of the Algebra I and biology end-of-course exams, TEA data shows.
Statewide, STAAR results show across-the-board improvements in all grades and subjects from spring 2021 to spring 2022 with significant gains in reading, according to a TEA news release.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the results point to a brighter future, but students are still performing below pre-COVID-19 levels in mathematics statewide.
“The investments that the state is making in reading academies and accelerated instruction are clearly paying dividends for our students, and the results are a testament to the hard work of teachers across our state,” Morath said. “While we still have much work to do to recover from COVID[-19]-related learning loss in mathematics, the improvements our students have made in reading are clear."
State legislation passed in 2021 targeted the learning gaps formed during the pandemic, and additional legislation is expected to be implemented ahead of STAAR testing in 2023.
One such change will be the implementation of House Bill 3906, requiring a redesign of the STAAR test to better align with classroom instruction. The test will also move to total online administration next year. Students in third to eighth grades will take writing assessments as part of the reading test in spring 2023. According to the TEA, the changes strive to improve student engagement and reduce "teaching to the test."
Click here for more STAAR and end-of-course exam results. Learn more about the TEA’s take on this year's scores here.
