Hays Students and Teachers Earn High Marks; Show Significant Academic Achievement Gains
Hays CISD teachers and students enjoyed significant gains with the release Thursday by the Texas Education Agency of the 2018 – 2019 accountability ratings, and first-ever official campus letter grades. Hays CISD campuses earned a total of 28 performance distinctions, up from 12 the previous school year. The district’s overall letter grade moved to a ‘B’ up from a ‘C.’ The number of individual campuses earning an ‘A’ doubled from what they would have earned if campus letter grades were officially included in the 2017-2018 ratings. And, for the first time since 2016, no schools in Hays CISD earned an ‘F,’ or its equivalent.
“This is a win for our students and our team,” said Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright, who completed his first full academic year at Hays CISD in 2018 – 2019, the year measured by the ratings released Thursday. “We have great reason to be proud in Hays CISD! Our teachers, district staff, students, parents, school board members, and community partners work hard daily to ensure our students have the best possible educational experience. I’m pleased to see that the systems we are putting in place, and the teaching methods and instructional practices we are adopting led to student success. We have momentum and energy on our side.”
One of the most impressive improvements came from Tom Green Elementary School, which last year was listed as requiring improvement. This year the campus moved from a failing grade to an 83, or ‘B,’ and earned an ‘Academic Growth’ distinction.
Negley Elementary held on to its ‘A’ rating status and, this year, earned five distinctions, the most of any Hays CISD campus. Barton Middle School also maintained its ‘A’ rating. Two additional schools that earned ‘A’ ratings this year, up from ‘B’-level scores last year, are Dahlstrom Middle School and Elm Grove Elementary. Elm Grove earned the highest score of any school in Hays CISD with a 94.
Overall, the district moved from a 77, or ‘C,’ last year to an 84, or ‘B.’
“Our improvement in scores tells an incredible story about our district and the work we are doing, but it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Dr. Wright. “I don’t want to take anything away from the celebration of our accountability achievement, but I want to highlight that scores are just one measure of many. We don’t just look at test scores to see how we are doing and we don’t just teach to the test. Our work involves much more. For example, our 100% Hays CISD initiative pairs each of our students with a club or activity and a sponsor that can serve as an advocate. This relationship building piece it critical. It connects children with opportunities to learn teamwork, creativity, and social and emotional wisdom. The education we offer in Hays is comprehensive. We want well-rounded students to grow up to become accomplished adults.”
Hays CISD campus-by-campus results are:
|
Overall Score |
District/Campus Rating |
Distinctions |
Hays CISD |
84 |
B |
|
|
|
|
|
Blanco Vista |
82 |
B |
1-Science |
Buda |
79 |
C |
|
Camino Real |
84 |
B |
1-Academic Growth |
Carpenter Hill |
89 |
B |
2-Mathematics, Science |
Elm Grove |
94 |
A |
1-Closing the Gaps |
Fuentes |
81 |
B |
1-Science |
Hemphill |
74 |
C |
|
Kyle |
77 |
C |
|
Negley |
93 |
A |
5-Reading, Math, Acad. Gr., P.S. Ready, Closing the Gaps |
Pfluger |
89 |
B |
4-Reading, Academic Growth, P.S. Ready, Closing the Gaps |
Science Hall |
83 |
B |
1-Academic Growth |
Tobias |
75 |
C |
|
Tom Green |
83 |
B |
1-Academic Growth |
Uhland |
82 |
B |
1-Academic Growth |
|
|
|
|
Barton |
91 |
A |
4-Math, Science, Academic Growth, Closing the Gaps |
Chapa |
79 |
C |
2-Academic Growth, Closing the Gaps |
Dahlstrom |
92 |
A |
1-Closing the Gaps |
McCormick |
68 |
D |
|
Simon |
64 |
D |
|
Wallace |
73 |
C |
1-Academic Growth |
|
|
|
|
Hays |
87 |
B |
2-Math, Academic Growth |
Lehman |
81 |
B |
|
Live Oak |
83 |
B |
|