Bay Area school districts get an A or Exemplary rating

September 1st, 2018

By Mary Alys Cherry

The TEA report card is in, and Clear Creek ISD and its 42,000 students earned an A or Exemplary rating from the Texas Education Agency.
So did Friendswood ISD and Pearland ISD, meaning this is certainly a good area for families with kids.

But first, Clear Creek ISD. Actually, the school district received three grades – A or 91 for student achievement, B or 84 for school progress, and an A or 95 for closing the gap – and an overall rating of A or 92.

So, where is this district doing exceptionally well? “Districts,” the TEA says, “earn an A (90–100) for exemplary performance when they serve most students well, encouraging high academic achievement and/or appropriate academic growth for almost all students. Most students will be prepared for eventual success in college, a career, or the military.”

The grade a district receives is based 40% on its STAAR performance, 40% on college, career and military readiness and 20% on its graduation rate, the education agency said. CCISD’s four-year graduation rate is 97.1% and rises to 98.5 after five years and 98.7 after six years with a 0.5% dropout rate.

How did students do academically? Most schools scored in the 80s with some scoring in the 70s and others in the 90s.

Clear Horizons Early College High School, where students are probably most focused on school work, scored a 98. But Clear Springs High was not far behind with a 95, along with Clear Falls High with a 92, Clear Lake High with a 91, Clear Creek with a 90 and Clear Brook, 87.

Highest scoring intermediate schools were Seabrook with a 94, and Westbrook and Victory Lakes, 91. At the elementary level, Gilmore took top honors with a 94, followed at 91 by Ralph Parr and Falcon Pass with a 90.

Friendswood ISD did even better than Clear Creek, scoring three A’s – 94 on student achievement, 91 on school progress and 96 on closing gaps, for an overall 94.

And, all its six schools scored A’s and in the 90s with a 93 for Friendswood High, 96 for Cline Elementary and Windsong Intermediate, 94 for Westwood and Bales Intermediate and 93 for Friendswood Junior High.

Pearland ISD also scored high with an A, B and A for scoring 92 on achievement, 89 on progress and 99 on closing the gap. Dawson High with a 92 and Turner Career High with a 93 both scored A’s while Pearland High had a B or 88 and Pace Center High had a 93.

Highest scoring middle schools were Pearland Junior High East; Miller and Alexander with a 94 and Pearland Junior High West, 93.

High scoring elementary campuses included Rusty Oaks, 94; Shadycrest and Silvercrest, 91; and Magnolia, 90.

Ratings for a number of school districts, including Pasadena, Dickinson, Alvin and Galveston, were delayed because of Hurricane Harvey.

Pasadena ISD given high marks in TEA report

January 11th, 2016

PasadenaISD-Logo-webTransThe Pasadena ISD graduation rate jumped above the 89 percent mark during the 2014-15 school year — exceeding the state average by 1.1 percent — according to new data released by the Texas Education Agency.

The graduation rate hike – which showed a jump from 88.9 percent the previous year to 89.4 during the new ratings period – was part of the latest Texas Academic Performance Report of public schools.

Pasadena ISD’s dropout rate showed a significant decrease, from 1.8 percent to 1.4 percent. The state dropout average is 2.2 percent.

STAAR testing results showed passing percentages of Pasadena ISD students improved or remained steady in nearly every subject. Although falling short of state averages in some subjects, the district received an overall rating of having met the state performance standard.

“We are proud of our students’ performance,” said Dr. DeeAnn Powell, Pasadena ISD’s acting superintendent of schools. “While we know there is room to improve, these results show how their hard work has already started paying off.”

Dr. Powell will assume the duties of superintendent on Feb. 2.

Another report bright spot for Pasadena ISD was a 6.4 percent increase in students taking advance placement or college courses as part of the Pasadena Early College High School.

The PECHS program allows freshmen to enroll in classes through San Jacinto College. This gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree at the same time they earn their high-school diploma.

College and career readiness among Pasadena ISD students is 10.4 percent above the state average this year, the data showed. School officials credit, among other things, the opening of the Lewis Career and Technical High School.

CTHS provides students with an opportunity to graduate with a diploma, earn college credits and gain professional certification or a license in high-demand areas, such as pre-engineering, robotics, nursing, veterinary technology, automotive collision, welding, cosmetology, culinary arts and other fields.

Officials say the continued improvement in the graduation and dropout rates can be attributed to, in part, programs like the Walk for Success and alternative courses available at the district’s Community School and Tegeler Career Center.

During the Walk for Success, district staff members and community volunteers visit the homes of high-school students who have not re-enrolled in school to encourage them to return.

The Community School allows students – those 18 years and older who are a few credits shy of graduating — an opportunity to earn a diploma. Tegeler Career Center offers smaller class sizes so students receive more one-on-one instruction with teachers.

Pasadena ISD schools also offer computer-assisted instruction for credit recovery and initial credit for those falling behind.

To view the full report, visit https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/perfreport/tapr/2015/index.html and search for Pasadena ISD.

Bay Area Houston Magazine