Houston Students Show Improvement in STAAR Scores

Students in a Houston classroom demonstrating engagement and progress in their studies.

News Summary

Preliminary results from the Texas Education Agency indicate that students in the Houston Independent School District have improved their STAAR scores, especially in Algebra 1 and biology. For the first time, HISD students surpassed statewide averages in these subjects. Despite this progress, challenges remain in English and U.S. History scores. The district is undergoing state intervention aimed at educational reform, with ongoing concerns about resource allocation. Overall, HISD’s performance reflects a positive trend, yet the district continues to face hurdles in achieving academic equity.

Houston – Preliminary results released by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on June 14 indicate that students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) have shown noticeable improvements in their State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores, particularly among high school students. The tests, which include subjects such as Algebra 1, biology, English 1, English 2, and U.S. History, suggest that HISD is making progress in response to ongoing state intervention aimed at boosting academic performance.

For the first time, HISD students have surpassed statewide averages in both biology and Algebra 1, achieving a passing rate of 77% in Algebra 1 compared to the statewide average of 76%, and a consistent 91% in biology, matching the state average. These advancements come two years into the TEA’s state intervention strategy focused on improving educational outcomes in historically low-performing campuses.

While HISD’s progress in Algebra 1 and biology is encouraging, challenges remain. The district continues to lag behind the state averages in English 1, English II, and U.S. History. HISD’s English I scores rose to 46%, while English II increased to 52%, both still falling short by at least four points compared to state averages. In U.S. history, the passing rate saw a minor increase to 94%, aligning with the statewide standard but not reflecting significant improvement.

Statewide, recent STAAR results displayed a mixed performance, with a decline observed in English performance even as biology scores improved. For example, while 66% of students statewide approached grade level in English 1, only 71% did so in English 2. U.S. history saw 94% of students achieving at least approaching grade level, with 68% meeting or exceeding these benchmarks.

HISD is currently under a state takeover that is expected to last for at least two more years. As part of this intervention, 130 campuses are undergoing extensive reforms under the leadership of Superintendent Mike Miles. HISD is required to eliminate institutions persistently failing to meet educational standards in order to exit state oversight. Approximately 40 campuses with D or F ratings from the previous year are subject to intensive improvement efforts.

While the district’s recent tests indicate tangible improvements, there is ongoing concern from parents regarding financial management and the prioritization of resources. Reports have surfaced suggesting that funds are being allocated to communications consultants rather than direct classroom needs, raising questions about how resources are distributed within the district.

Despite improvements, there are indications that HISD has fewer students taking the Algebra 1 exam, with over 3,600 fewer students participating compared to the previous year. This decline in test-takers adds another layer of complexity to evaluating overall performance in the district.

In addition, the TEA has noted specific gains among certain student populations, particularly economically disadvantaged and emergent bilingual students, in areas such as biology, contributing to the overall encouraging statistics. However, HISD students have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic performance levels in subjects like Algebra 1 and U.S. History, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving equitable educational outcomes for all students.

As statewide assessments continue, further results for third-through-eighth grades are expected to be released on June 17, which will provide additional insight into the overall academic trajectory of students across Texas, including HISD. Comparatively, HISD’s performance in Algebra 1 and biology is favorable in relation to other large Texas districts, outperforming both Austin and Dallas ISDs in these subjects, although all three districts still face challenges in English performance.

Overall, HISD’s progress in STAAR scores is a positive indicator amidst the complexities of ongoing state intervention and financial scrutiny, as the district navigates its path toward educational improvement and student success.