Fort Worth ISD says district making major academic progress
FORT WORTH — Fort Worth Independent School District says the district is making major academic progress.
The district released its own calculations of the latest ratings based on last year's STAAR test scores. The district specifically mentioned E.M. Daggett Elementary School in Fort Worth as being an "inspiring success story."
The elementary school, according to the district, was able to improve its rating along with several other schools in the district.
"I think there's so much hope and we want our whole city to be proud," says Daggett Principal, Sara Brown.
Brown said she was thrilled to see her school rise from a "D" rating last year to a "B" rating. The ratings are all based on their latest test scores and calculated by Fort Worth ISD. Brown said they got there by shifting their focus.
"Our number one priority was building a culture of joy. We wanted our kids to know they were loved and to love being at school," Brown said. "Our three areas of focus were 'Student Culture of Joy', Instructional Excellence with small groups, and data-driven instruction. So, I think that the result was just the enthusiasm of teachers. They could see that it was working right off the bat, that their thoughts and ideas were being honored at the table, and that it was making a difference."
Parent Andrea Garcia says these results are huge for her two children who go to the school.
"The kids should feel that all their hard work is paying off, as well as the teachers who stayed late and who volunteered their time. I'm going to cry thinking about it. It's just joy that I feel," Garcia said.
Overall, the scores that were released today show the district increased its rating from a "D" to a "C" in the span of a year.
These ratings were calculated by the district using The Texas Education Agency's(TEA) formula. According to the district, 37 Fort Worth ISD campuses improved by one letter grade and 11 campuses increased by two letter grades. However, the district has historically been below average in its ratings, which has recently caught the attention of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and other community leaders.
Last month, Mayor Parker publicly commented on the education shortfalls and called for changes and improvements.
Parker reviewed data from the Texas Education Agency and Texas Research Portal. This spring, Parker noted that Fort Worth ISD students lagged 11 percentage points behind Dallas ISD and 14 percentage points behind Houston ISD.
"We have to see the scores turn around, our families and our kids depend on it," Parker said. "These kids don't get a second chance!"
In a letter sent to the school board, signed by more than 40 community stakeholders, Parker listed priorities, including:
- Developing clear and ambitious goals focused on student achievement.
- Aligning the goals with budget priorities informed by a thorough audit.
- Implementing high-quality instruction across every classroom.
- Prioritizing academic interventions for students who are falling behind.
- Conducting a comprehensive personnel audit, implementing targeted evaluation plans, and developing compensation programs that support and retain top educators.
- Pausing any further bond expenditure until a thoughtful district facilities plan is developed that enhances teacher capacity and student resources.
"It's funny that they portray the ratings as being positive and that things are looking on the up and up when our kid's scores are continuing to decrease," said Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, the founder of the non-profit organization, Parent Shield, which focuses on educating parents on the status of education in Tarrant County.
Dorsey-Hollins admits she is skeptical about these new ratings.
"I definitely don't want parents to completely just trust these results and take them at hand," said Dorsey-Hollins. "We want them to ask the tough questions. How is my child specifically doing? Are they on grade level? Because approaching and meeting grade level are two different things."
The Fort Worth School District is presenting this year's STAAR Performance and Accountability ratings at its board meeting on Tuesday night.
