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District ‘recognized’ for TAKS scores
Pearland ISD has been ranked a Recognized school district with 12 Exemplary campuses, according to Texas Education Agency accountability ratings released July 31.
The 2008-09 ratings are based on the number of students passing the state’s standardized test, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, and completion and dropout rates.
“Recognized is a hard-earned rating. We accomplished it because every teacher and administrator committed to focus on academic achievement. Thanks to their dedication, every campus made performance gains on the TAKS test,” Superintendent Dr. Bonny Cain said.
Exemplary districts and campuses must have at least 90 percent passing rates in all subjects and all five student groups, while Recognized must each have at least 75 percent passing. Recognized districts also had to achieve an 85 percent completion rate and an annual dropout rate of 2 percent or less.
Ratings are determined by these student groups: all students, African American, Hispanic, white and economically disadvantaged.
Pearland ISD’s 2008-09 campus ratings are as follows:
Exemplary Campuses
Cockrell Elementary
C.J. Harris Elementary
Challenger Elementary
Lawhon Elementary
Carleston Elementary
Magnolia Elementary
Rustic Oak Elementary
Shadycrest Elementary
Silvercrest Elementary
Silverlake Elementary
Alexander Middle School
Rogers Middle School
Recognized Campuses
Massey Ranch Elementary
Jamison Middle School
Sablatura Middle School
Berry Miller Junior High
Pearland Junior High South
Pearland Junior High West
Dawson High School
Pearland High School
Academically Acceptable Campuses
Pearland Junior High East
PACE Center
PACE Center, a nontraditional campus, is judged differently from traditional campuses. If it had been evaluated as a regular campus, it would have ranked Exemplary.
Each year the state raises the bar for achieving high accountability ratings. Standards in 2009-10 will climb to 80 percent for Recognized. In addition, for the first time, the state will count the accommodated version of the TAKS (for special education students) in the accountability results for all grade levels and student groups.
According to TEA, the number of Recognized districts and charter schools increased from 329 in 2008 to 459 this year, with slightly more than one-third of the state’s districts and campuses earning this rating.
This year 109 Pearland ISD teachers had classrooms with 100 percent passing rates in at least one subject area.
Pearland ISD scores show improvement in every one of the five subject areas tested -- reading/English language arts, writing, social studies, math and science. The most significant gains came in science, with some student groups improving by as much as 12 percentage points.
“Campus teachers and administrators and curriculum and instruction specialists worked together as a team to ensure that all students reached their highest potential on the TAKS test,” said Susan Cornell, Pearland ISD director of testing and evaluation.
The state accountability system assigns ratings to every campus and district in the Texas public education system. Ratings from lowest to highest include Academically Unacceptable, Academically Acceptable, Recognized and Exemplary.
The system seeks to improve student performance by setting standards for adequacy and publicly recognizing high levels of performance and improvement.
Although Pearland ISD celebrates its Recognized rating, teachers and principals continue to prepare students for success in more areas than state assessment.
“While we are proud of our accountability ratings, test scores are not the only way to define student success. In Pearland ISD, students reach their full potential by developing skills in other areas like fine arts, athletics, career and technical education and much more,” Cain said.
The 2009 Accountability Manual, which details all the requirements of the rating system, is available at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2009/manual/index.html.
District and campus ratings can be found at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/.
Completion rate and dropout information are available at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/dropcomp_2007-08.pdf.
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