Humble ISD officials are touting a more than 20-percentage-point increase in the district’s year-over-year college, career and military readiness scores, which were included in the 2025-26 Texas Education Agency accountability ratings released Aug. 14.
The overview
CCMR scores measure how well high school graduates are prepared for higher education, the workforce or the military, according to the TEA.
Melissa Leigh, HISD senior director of personalized student success, said officials implemented several new programs and initiatives at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year to boost scores after identifying several areas of opportunity to better support students.
“By expanding college preparatory opportunities, aligning coursework with industry-recognized credentials, and embedding assessment preparation within instruction, we are working to ensure that more students graduate prepared to successfully pursue college, career, and other postsecondary opportunities,” Leigh said.
In the 2024-25 school year, HISD’s score for total CCMR criteria came out to 62%—20 percentage points behind the state average of 82%. By the end of the 2025-26 school year, the district’s total score increased to 88%, TEA data shows.
As part of its push to increase CCMR scores, Leigh said the district has also bolstered its career and technical education offerings, which factor into overall CCMR scores and can result in students receiving industry-based certifications that can help them find employment after high school.
A closer look
Leigh said the district has strengthened college preparatory opportunities through the implementation of Texas College Bridge, which she said provides students with additional opportunities to demonstrate college readiness and attain college credits through the district’s advanced placement and International Baccalaureate programs.
“We also strategically embedded course-aligned test preparation into selected courses to strengthen student readiness for the [Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2] and SAT,” Leigh said.
Toni Seiter, director of educational services and partnerships at Lone Star College-Kingwood, said the college partners with HISD to offer dual credit courses that can result in earned college credits.
“[Dual credit] builds students’ confidence by making them more aware that, yes, they can be successful in a college setting even before they ever set foot on that stage to graduate from high school.” Seiter said.
HISD students earned the equivalent of roughly 43,000 college credit hours in the 2025-26 school year, said Tong Utakrit, HISD director of advanced learning and services. He estimated the total amount of earned credits would equate to around $15.6 million in savings that students would have otherwise spent on college courses after high school.
Additionally, Leigh said the number of students receiving industry-based certifications nearly doubled over the last year, rising from 1,739 students receiving certifications in the 2024-25 school year to 3,280 in the 2025-26 school year.
The impact
While officials have increased spending on CCMR and CTE programming by nearly 30% since 2021, Skero’s Furniture and Mattress owner Daron Skero said the value extends beyond dollars and cents.
HISD students work with Skero’s Furniture through the district’s Tiny Homes Initiative, which sees students with local architects, engineers and other community partners to design and build homes for area veterans.
Why it matters
Sara Hansen, health science teacher at Atascocita High School, said her students receive hands-on training through CTE classes.
“[Students] learn to become more self-assured when speaking with medical professionals and patients,” Hansen said.
Atascocita High School senior Sunny Miller, who is currently enrolled in the district’s health science CTE pathway, said the experience she’s gained has been invaluable.
“You don’t have to have your entire future figured out to benefit from CTE,” Miller said. “Even if you decide to change careers, the skills and experiences you gain can still follow you into whatever you decide to do.”
Leigh said the district will continue to improve CTE and CCMR offerings moving forward.
“We have a responsibility to ensure every student graduates with the skills necessary to ... pursue the next phase of life,” Leigh said.
