The Texas Education Agency released the 2018 - 2019 accountability ratings for school districts across the state Aug. 15, and gave Seminole ISD a B for its overall rating, which is + 6 from the previous school year.
Student Achievement: B [+ 6 from the previous school year.]
This rating is based on how much students know and are able to do at the end of the school year. SISD earned 84 of 100 possible points.
School Progress: B [+ 9 from the previous school year.]
This rating is based on how students perform over time, comparing their progress to similar schools. SISD earned 81 of 100 possible points.
Closing the Gaps: C [+ 6 from the previous school year.]
This rating is based on the performance of different populations of students. SISD earned 77 of 100 possible points.
For a more in-depth look at how each school performed, visit www.txschools.org. Here’s how each SISD campus was graded overall:
Seminole High School: B
+ 4 in Domain 1
+ 10 in Domain 2
+ 3 Overall Score
Distinctions:
- Academic Achievement in Mathematics
Seminole Success Center: B
+ 6 Domain 1
+ 6 Overall Score
Seminole Junior High: D
Seminole Elementary: B
+ 8 in Domain 1
+ 19 in Domain 2
+ 12 in Domain 3
+ 15 Overall Score
Distinctions:
- Academic Achievement in Mathematics
- Top 25% Comparative Academic Growth
Seminole Primary: B
+ 3 in Domain 3
+ 1 in Overall Score
Distinctions:
- Academic Achievement in Mathematics
F.J. Young Elementary: B
Since there is no STAAR testing given, they are paired with Primary.
“I think it is exciting to know that our district moved from a C rating to a B rating,” stated Kyle Lynch, Seminole ISD Superintendent. “Certainly student achievement is a huge part of what we do. Specific campuses like Seminole Elementary, made stark improvement; so that is something to really be proud of. I think you credit our students, teachers, principals, and Dr. Suarez, her hard work, putting a plan together and really knocking it out of the park.”
“I am extremely proud of the hard work of our teachers and administrators, moving from a 76 to an 82 is both commendable and admirable,” stated Dr. Sylvia Suarez, Assistant Superintendent. “Our teachers work extremely hard every single day and I love to see their hard work pay off.”
“Seminole Elementary increased an impressive 15 points, a 70 to 85, in their overall score. From day one, their focus was not on STAAR; their focus was not on tests, their focus was growing every single child,” stated Dr. Suarez. “The key there was very targeted instruction and intervention. The campus atmosphere created by our staff lead to an intrinsic motivation on the students, particularly knowing where they were and where they wanted to be. I really commend our students, Mrs. Lopez, Mrs. Karr, the instructional coaches, and teachers; their hard work truly paid off,” stated Dr. Suarez.
Here's an overview of the methodology behind the rating system and what each grade means, per the Texas Education Agency website.
A – Exemplary performance
B – Recognized performance
C – Acceptable performance
D – In need of improvement
F – Unacceptable performance
The A-F ratings are based on three factors, or "domains," according to the TEA. "Student achievement" and "school progress" combine for 70 percent of the rating, while "closing the gaps" makes up 30 percent.
- Student achievement: For elementary and middle schools, 100 percent of the student achievement section is determined from STAAR testing, the annual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness tests. For high schools and overall district ratings, the student achievement section is determined from three areas: STAAR testing (40 percent); College, Career, and Military Readiness (40 percent); and Graduation Rate (20 percent).
• School progress: This section is divided into two evaluations – academic growth and relative performance. Academic growth measures how students improve from year to year, while relative performance measures a school's or district's academic performance relative to other districts with similar economically disadvantaged percentages. - Closing the gaps (30%): This section factors in academic achievement and graduation rates but also factors in "differentials among racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds and other factors," evaluating the performance of economically disadvantaged students, students receiving special education services, English learners and other student groups, according to the TEA methodology.
"The State’s A-F system tells a story, but it is an incomplete and limited one because almost everything that happens at school is not captured in a letter grade determined by a standardized test. However, we will use the A-F accountability system to gather information on areas where we are doing well, as well as areas that can be enhanced,” stated Dr. Suarez. “No one is satisfied with the D rating at the Jr. High. Our campus administrators and teachers are determined to ascend and I have no doubts that they will do exactly that. We have already made some needed adjustments to the master schedule and plan to focus on the growth of each individual student.”
The superintendent’s note went on to say:
“With any data or appraisal system, you look at it, and identify areas where we need to grow,” stated Lynch. I think it’s important to recognize that we do not want to read too much into that [D rating], but we can all agree, that does not measure up to the academic expectations we have for our students. So we are going to go to work.”
“The bottom line, I feel as a group, we are going to make improvements, not excuses,” stated Lynch. “Many districts teach to the test. Our goal is that we put our focus on growing every student, delivering engaging instruction, sharpening our knowledge of our readiness standards, and being value driven and data informed. With those strategies in place, the scores will take care of themselves.”