The overview
PISD’s Director of Secondary Instruction Bonnie Scheidt said CCMR percentages are calculated through the following forms:
- College entrance exam scores, such as the SAT or ACT, among other tests
- Coursework that the district offers for advanced placement or dual credit courses
- Industry-based certifications
- Joining the armed forces
- Students receiving special services can earn a CCMR indicator by graduating on an advanced degree plan
For example, whereas students a few years ago would just have to pass their IBC test to earn their CCMR indicator, they now also have to take certain courses, as well as a certain number of them dependent on the certification, that align with their IBC, Scheidt said.
Brent Shaw, AISD’s chief of accountability and assessment, also said the state’s accountability system is the district’s biggest challenge. In order to adjust, AISD is staying current with TEA updates and tracking students by their cohort groups, which are students grouped together who are working toward the same career pathway, Shaw said.
A closer look
While PISD has surpassed the state and region in CCMR performance based on the recently released Texas Academic Performance Reports, AISD has been just below the state's percentages in CCMR since 2018, TEA data shows.
Shaw said AISD is projecting that for the 2023-2024 school year its CCMR percentage will be 79%, which is a 3% increase compared to the 2022-23 school year.
“AISD has significantly expanded its AP, dual enrollment, and career and technical education course offerings,” Shaw said. “By broadening these academic and career-focused opportunities, we are providing students with a more diverse and rigorous curriculum that aligns with their individual interests and career aspirations.”
The district also has a monitoring system to track students in ninth through 12th grade, Shaw said. The system is a combination of a TEA tracker file and a third-party software program. These systems are monitored throughout the school year, Shaw said.
“AISD continues to review and evaluate our CCMR data compared to the state and regional districts,” Shaw said. “Our focus continues to be a dynamic learning organization, committed to excellence for each student and every program.”
Both AlSD and PISD offer a large course selection in CTE programs, AP, dual credit college courses and college prep classes, officials said. Districts also track individual students to ensure they’re on their own right path each year.
Along with offering a litany of courses, PISD during the 2023-24 school year began offering Texas College Bridge, a course for seniors struggling with college entrance exams to help them get into a community college or four-year university, Scheidt said.
The credit for the course is accepted at 23 universities and 81 community college campuses in Texas. Sheidt said this course is free and replaces the need to take a remedial course in the future at a student’s community college.
Along with the course, PISD is also offering opportunities for students to take the SAT and TSI exams during the school day, Sheidt said.
“We're raising contributing members to society and counseling each student based upon their interests and what their needs are and then guiding them into what they should take in high school so they can be college, career or military ready when they leave us,” Scheidt said.
