Student achievement on the 2022 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, coupled with a strong performance by graduates in meeting college/career readiness standards, has led to a “B” accountability rating for Cleburne ISD.

                In Monday’s public release of 2022 Accountability Ratings by the Texas Education Agency, performance distinction awards relating to STAAR performance included Marti Elementary and Cleburne High School.

                The letter grades assessed to districts and campuses by the state are a measurement of how much students are learning. It also shows how well a school/district prepares students for success after high school in college, the workforce or the military. Cleburne’s letter grade of B reflects an overall score of 85.

                 The state’s accountability rating system has been on hiatus since 2018-2019, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Testing resumed in 2020-21, but this is the first time in three years—spring 2019--that letter-grade ratings have been awarded.

                Trustees were presented with an overview of the 2022 STAAR accountability ratings during Monday’s school board meeting.

“This is the most excited I’ve ever been in preparing a presentation on the state accountability ratings,” Dr. Chris Jackson, assistant superintendent of research, data and school improvement said. “We have great things to celebrate.”

                “As a district, our overall scores reflect a seven-point gain over the previous accountability ratings released in 2019,” Jackson said. “Cleburne ISD is a leader among the state’s 181 districts with 5,000 or more students, in placing fourth in school progress gains.”

                “The big story is the gains in student performance at the campus level, led by Cooke Elementary with 27 points—earning the school a B letter grade from the state,” Jackson said. “Irving Elementary showed a 25-point gain and has also been awarded a B rating.”

                Both campuses rebounded from the F rating received in 2019, along with Wheat Middle School, which jumped two letter grades to a C in 2022. Wheat reflected a 15-point gain in performance growth.

                 Also receiving the B rating are Coleman Elementary, Gerard Elementary, Marti Elementary and Cleburne High School. Adams Elementary, Santa Fe Elementary, Smith Middle School and TEAM School received the letter grade of C.

                “I am so very proud of these achievements by our students and campuses,” Superintendent Dr. Kyle Heath said. “These scores are the result of the hard work, dedication and commitment given by our teachers to their students and their success. Last year was one of the hardest and most challenging on record, with the ongoing impact of COVID not only on health, but also attendance and the engagement and involvement of students in learning. That didn’t stop our teachers from doing everything in their power to bring their students forward.”

                “There is still work to be done, but we have got to celebrate these giant steps that have been made at every CISD campus,” Heath said. “Nothing could have gotten this school year off to a better start than these student performance results.”

                In addition to Marti’s 18-point gain in academic growth on the STAAR when compared to 2019 scores, the campus has been awarded three TEA Distinction Designations including Science, on which fifth graders are tested. Marti also received recognition in Closing the Gaps and Postsecondary Readiness, in which the school placed in the top quartile among campuses with similar demographics.

                Cleburne High School was recognized by the state for student performance in Science and Student Progress.

                In presenting the STAAR ratings and growth percentages to Trustees, Jackson pointed out several initiatives used by the district and campuses addressing student learning and improvement.

                “Our teachers set individual growth goals and targets for every one of their students,” Jackson said. “They then utilized a tracking process toward that goal, engaging the student in intervention when needed.”

                Similar efforts were utilized at Cleburne High School in addressing and monitoring the postsecondary readiness of students as they transition to college or the workforce following graduation. College/Career/Military Readiness and the graduation rate are included in the accountability ratings for high schools and the overall district rating involving Student Achievement.

                “We also focused on improving systems relating to student success—specifically our data/planning meetings utilized at the campus and district levels,” Jackson said. “This involved our campus principals, who participated in ongoing training, then took that knowledge and information back to their schools to share with teachers.”

                “Our district’s top priorities include the employment and retention of high-quality teachers and staff,” Jackson said. “We have one of the lowest staff turnover rates among north Texas school districts—we placed sixth out of 43 school systems from across the D/FW Metroplex. Our teachers want to teach in CISD.”

                The TEA Accountability Ratings utilize four domains measuring student achievement, academic growth, relative performance and closing the gaps, reflected in STAAR scores in the core subjects. Testing begins in the third grade. STAAR end-of-course exams are utilized at the high school level.

                For more information on the 2022 TEA Accountability Ratings, including those for CISD, the STAAR assessment and a variety of parent resources, visit www.TXschools.gov.