Denton ISD Students Show Academic Gains While Overcoming Obstacles

Despite two years filled with short-term closures due to a pandemic and historic winter storm, students in Denton ISD maintained the letter grade of “B” under the A-F Public School Accountability System released this week by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Under a previous TEA label that was set aside in 2011, the same score would have placed the district in the ‘Recognized’ category.

The “B” rating is based on data from students who took the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) test in 2022 as well as progress demonstrated in school achievement, school progress and closing learning gaps in students.

“The narrative we’ve heard for the last 24 months that our students are drastically behind is simply not the case and these scores demonstrate that,” said Dr. Jamie Wilson, superintendent of schools. "We still have room to grow in all areas, especially Math, but it shows our educators are getting it done and are making an impact.  By continuing to support our teachers in all that we do and say, our students will continue to benefit."

Schools across the district earned 35 distinctions awarded for achievement in several areas and are based on performance relative to a group of campuses of similar type, size, grade span and student demographics.

Located in one of the country's fastest-growing areas, the district enrolls new students to the district each year at an average rate of 3 percent. Since the previous ratings were released in 2019 when the district also scored a “B,” more than 2,000 students who attended schools other than a Denton ISD school are accounted for in the 2022 rating.

“Last year more than seven percent of our students tested were new to our district and most were even new to Texas,” said Dr. Wilson. “In addition to the interruptions in learning, the high mobility rate of our student population should have had an impact on this year’s rating, and the sheer fact that it hasn’t is a true testament to our teachers and the support systems our district has in place.”

For more information on the process from the Texas Education Agency https://txschools.org.