STAAR tests show improvement, areas of concern for Gonzales County schools

Results for the spring 2023 end-of-course (EOC) State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) have shown improvement for all three of the Gonzales County school districts as they try to return to pre-pandemic levels, but also reveal areas where they have fallen behind the state average.

Testing results include assessments from five course areas — Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History. Results place students in one of four categories based upon performance — Did Not Meet, Approaches, Meets and Masters. Students must obtain an Approaches grade level score (or higher) on EOCs or equivalent exams as part of graduation requirements in Texas. 

Statewide, EOC results show the number of students achieving Approaches grade level or above increased in all five subject areas tested and they have now eclipsed pre-pandemic levels in all areas but Algebra I, showing progress and “continued academic recovery among Texas public school students who endured multiple years of pandemic-induced disruptions to learning,” according to the Texas Education Agency.

In U.S. History, 95 percent of all students assessed in Texas reached Approaches level, while 89 percent of all students tested reached Aproaches level in Biology.

Results in Biology Seventy-eight percent of test takers approached grade level in Algebra I, six percentage points below the 2019, pre-pandemic high water mark of 84% but representing a 4% increase over 2022. 

“I appreciate the dedication and skill of Texas educators as they work to meet the needs of their students every day,” said Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. “STAAR is designed to provide parents and teachers with a clear understanding of how well students learned this year’s academic material and whether they are prepared for the next grade level and for life after graduation,” he said.

Gonzales ISD

Gonzales ISD saw massive improvements in Approaches scores for Algebra I, English I and Biology from 2022 to 2023. In Algebra I alone, the score went up from 40 percent making Approaches in 2022 to 71 percent making Approaches in 2023.

“We are pleased to announce that all our EOC assessments at Gonzales High School showed improvement from the previous year,” GISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda said. “Our Algebra 1 assessment showed a 21% increase. Our English 1 assessment showed an 18% increase. Our Biology assessment showed a 13% increase. Our United States History assessment showed a 5% increase and our English 2 assessment showed a 2% increase.

“We continued with a great graduation rate and the highest College, Career, and Military Readiness score yet. While we are pleased with our improvements, our teachers, administrators, and support staff will continue working hard to grow greatness in Gonzales ISD."

There is still a lot of room to grow greatness, however. Gonzales ISD fell below the state average in all five areas, although the gap has been closed to within 7 percent or less in three areas: Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History, where GISD students scored the best.

English II scores remain 11 percentage points behind the state average, while English I scores are 12 percentage points behind the state average.

Nixon-Smiley CISD

Nixon-Smiley CISD students saw their scores eclipse the state average in every subject area except Algebra I, where the school saw scores drop inexplicably by nine percentage points from 86 percent Approaches in 2022 to 77 percent Approaches in 2023.

However, English I scores improved by 11 percentage points from 71 to 82 percent Approaches and U.S. History scores improved by six percentage points from 90 to 96 percent Approaches, with the number of students hitting the Meets level increasing both years as well.

“Current Nixon-Smiley STAAR EOC scores are a tribute to how hard not only teachers are working, but students as well,” Nixon-Smiley CISD Superintendent Jeff VanAuken said. “With 100% of students moving to an online testing format combined with brand new question types, we are pleased with the exceptional results. 

“This is a direct result of teachers adapting instruction, so all students can continue to achieve academic goals. We will continue to grow math, reading, and writing skills across all content areas in order to meet students on their level, supporting continuous growth.”

Waelder ISD

Waelder ISD saw scores drop in English I, as they went from 79 percent Approaches in 2022 to just 68 percent in 2023. But the school saw a huge increase in Algebra I as they improved from 68 percent Approaches to 87 percent in 2023, a mark that exceeded the state average.

Waelder ISD also saw an eight percentage point jump in Biology from 88 percent Approaches in 2022 to 96 percent in 2023, again exceeding state average, while in English II, scores went up by 13 percentage points from 71 percent to 84 percent — again, bettering the state median. Waelder ISD had the highest percentage of students hit Approaches in Algebra I, Biology and English II.

U.S. History scores went up by 10 percentage points from 86 percent to 96 percent to tie Nixon-Smiley for the best percentage in the county for that subject area.

“I believe these scores are indicative of the excellent work our teachers are doing here in Waelder,” Waelder ISD Superintendent Ron Lilie said. “The scores across the board are right in line with the other schools in Gonzales County. I know my fellow superintendents are working diligently in the areas we all would like to improve, but I also believe these score reflect the success of Texas public schools.

“For Waelder, we will be focusing on Algebra and English I. We have been able to maintain high scores in US History and Biology. The district soon hopes to provide facilities that will support the outstanding efforts of our students and faculty.”

STAAR changes

In 2023, the STAAR test was redesigned to better align with classroom instruction, which necessitated re-setting of standards and scales from 2022 to 2023. With updates put in place by House Bill (HB) 3906 (86-R in 2019), TEA engaged in a multi-year, collaborative effort with a wide range of Texas teachers, educator advisory committees, students, parents, and community members to redesign the STAAR.

Students took a series of redesigned assessments this year that were better aligned with classroom instruction, emphasized writing, and incorporated a 75% cap on multiple choice questions. HB 3906 from 2019 also included a transition period for schools to prepare students for testing online. While more than 80% of test takers took STAAR online last year, 2023 marked the first year the tests were administered almost exclusively online, with exceptions made for students requiring paper accommodations and students with special education accommodations.

“Working with the input of many Texas teachers, we have redesigned the STAAR test to look more like how students learn in the classroom. We celebrate these results, and also recognize they provide objective information for parents and educators for the year to come,” Morath said.