Irving ISD is the latest district to release its own state assessment amid a lawsuit blocking the Texas Education Agency from revealing scores.
The district projects it earned a C in the most recent A-F grades, which were set to be released last Thursday but are on hold for a second year.
“While the Texas Education Agency is currently prevented from releasing official A-F accountability ratings due to ongoing litigation, we believe it is important to share our insights on student performance with the community,” the district said in a statement.
In 2021 – the last year state assessments were released -- the TEA gave Irving a B. But the agency and Irving say the redesigned standards mean current grades cannot fairly be compared to past scores because it’s not an apples to apples comparison.
Irving ISD said it won’t be releasing scores for individual campuses, “our predicted ratings show a slight upward trend compared to predictions over the last two years.”
The district said it increased the number of students performing at grade level in math and reading, while secondary schools showed “similar growth in the School Progress and Closing the Gaps.”
It also said its high school scores for college, career and military readiness exceeded the district’s goals.
"I am proud to see the results of higher quality of instruction, additional support for our students and staff, and a high-achievement culture in action,” Irving ISD Superintendent Magda Hernández said in the statement.
Irving is among a handful of districts to release their own assessment estimates – earlier this month Dallas, Garland and Houston ISDs all put out their scores, even as other districts are suing the TEA to block their release.
The agency’s newest STAAR test is described as more rigorous, with new scores for determining A-F ratings.
Dallas ISD expects a C this year with a score of 79 compared to last year’s 76. Its last grade was a B.
The district said its preliminary scores showed the number of high schools in the district “with A and B grades almost doubling compared to internal calculations for 2023 ratings, But that some schools will receive D and F ratings.
“Our Board of Trustees values transparency and accountability in how the district is performing, which is why we are releasing these internal calculations,” Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said in a release on the district’s website.
Garland ISD said it expects a B rating.
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
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