Frisco students show growth in STAAR scores

Frisco - Frisco Independent School District (FISD) students have shown significant progress in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), Dallas Metro News reported citing data released on August 16th. The data reveals substantial improvement in most subjects compared to the previous year.

“While we are pleased with the spring 2023 STAAR and [end of course] scores, we know that the true measure of a student or campus cannot be captured by the score of a single standardized test,” FISD Associate Deputy Superintendent Wes Cunningham said in a statement.

The data shows that reading and math are universally tested subjects for students in grades 3-8 within the district, with science assessed in both fifth and eighth grades, and the latter grade also tested in social studies. In each of the subjects examined in grades 3-8, FISD's performance exceeded the state average. A comparison of the 2023 results with the district's 2022 scores revealed that the majority of reading scores remained constant or showed positive academic growth.

Despite the overall positive trend, the district did experience a minor dip in fifth-grade reading scores, according to Texas Education Agency (TEA) data. This year's scores fell slightly from 93% in 2022 to 92% in 2023. In contrast, math scores for students in grades 3-8 displayed a marked improvement from 2022 to 2023, according to TEA data, with FISD outperforming the state's average across all grades.

The science STAAR results show that students' passing rates were mostly stable year-over-year. Fifth graders maintained a passing rate of 82%, and eighth graders saw a slight increase, moving from 92% in 2022 to 93% in 2023. In social studies, the district achieved significant growth with FISD's scores reflecting academic progress. The passing rate jumped from 85% in 2022 to an impressive 96% in 2023.

It's important to note that the 2023 STAAR was revamped to better align the assessments with teaching methods used in classrooms. These changes included modifications to the types of questions asked and a shift to an online format. Due to these updates, there was a delay in the release of the STAAR scores.

FISD Associate Deputy Superintendent Wes Cunningham stated that the district is currently waiting for a more detailed breakdown of scores for specific student groups and demographics from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The complete report, which is expected to be shared with the community in October, will coincide with the release of the campus and district accountability report once the TEA publishes its A-F accountability reports.

The district has made STAAR scores for students in the third grade or higher available on the district’s Home Access Center.

Credit: Dallas Metro News, STAAR, Frisco ISD