Los Fresnos CISD Honored Again by TEA for Readiness Distinction

For the second straight year, Los Fresnos CISD was one of an elite group of school districts in Texas to earn a post-secondary readiness distinction designation in the Texas Education Agency accountability ratings released Friday.

All Los Fresnos CISD schools surpassed post-secondary readiness indicators.

Los Fresnos CISD was one of 24 districts chosen for the post-secondary readiness distinction. Last year, Los Fresnos CISD was one of 26 districts. Los Fresnos CISD was one of only 10 districts in the state to be named to the list two straight years.

The TEA Accountability ratings also showed that all 14 campuses received TEA’s highest rating of “Met Standard.” In addition, all Los Fresnos CISD schools met standards in all four indexes.

The four index standards include student performance, student progress, closing performance gaps, and postsecondary readiness, and are based on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores.

Under the state accountability system, campuses in Texas that achieve the rating of Met Standard can also earn distinction designations in the following six areas:

• Achievement in Reading/English Language Arts
• Achievement in Mathematics
• Achievement in Science
• Top 25 Percent: Student Progress
• Top 25 Percent: Closing Performance Gaps
• Post-Secondary Readiness

Out of 79 possible distinction designations for its 14 campuses, Los Fresnos CISD achieved 67 designations, or 84.5 percent.

“It is a great honor for our district to be one of 24 school districts in Texas to be recognized for our distinction designations,” Los Fresnos CISD Superintendent Gonzalo Salazar said. “Having all campuses and the district meet the higher standards of the Texas STAAR accountability system validates the hard work of our students, teachers and staff.”

Of the 4,388 campuses across Texas that achieved the Met Standard rating under the state’s new accountability system and earned at least one designation, 153 high schools, middle schools and junior high schools earned designations in all seven areas.
Los Cuates Middle School in Los Fresnos CISD was one of the 153.

Six Los Fresnos CISD elementary schools earned designations in each of the five areas for elementary schools. Earning distinction in all areas were:

• Laureles Elementary
• Lopez-Riggins Elementary
• Olmito Elementary
• Palmer-Laakso Elementary
• Rancho Verde Elementary
• Villarreal Elementary

The seven total schools earning distinctions in all potential areas is half of the 14 Los Fresnos CISD schools.

“Earning any type of distinction under the state accountability system is commendable and should be a source of pride in a community,” Commissioner of Education Michael Williams said. “Achieving all seven distinctions reflects extraordinary work taking place on a campus while affirming a strong commitment to students.”

For more information about the TEA Accountability System, visit the TEA website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2015/index.html