At the regular monthly meeting of the Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees Monday, Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams conducted a public hearing on the district’s Texas Academic Performance Report.
The 2018-2019 Accountability Ratings and Distinction Designations are letter grades for the district as a whole and for individual campuses. Distinction designations are awarded to campuses for academic achievement (the number of students who met standard on STAAR/EOC) in ELAR, math, science and social studies, top 25% comparative academic growth (improvement from one academic year to the next), top 25% comparative Closing the Gaps (based on the performance of every major group of students, including racial/ethnic groups, students in special education, economically disadvantaged students and others categories.), and postsecondary readiness (for both district and campus) in comparison to districts anywhere in Texas that are similar in grade levels served, size, percentage of students who are economically disadvantaged, mobility rate, percentage of English learners, percentage of students receiving special education services and percentage of students enrolled in an early college high school program. It is possible for a campus to be a member of no comparison group other than its own or a member of several comparison groups.
Texas students take the STAAR reading and math tests in grades 3–8. Writing is tested in grades 4 and 7. Science is tested in grades 5 and 8. Social studies is tested in grade 8. English I, Algebra I and biology EOC tests are typically taken in grade 9. English II and U.S. history EOC tests are taken in grade 10.
Accountability ratings are awarded letter grades based on three domains measured by the STAAR–student achievement (how much students know and are able to do at the end of the school year), school progress (how students perform over time and how that growth compares to similar schools) and Closing the Gaps (how well different populations of students in a district are performing).
SSISD received a B accountability rating overall. The district actually earned an A but were not allowed to receive the higher rating because one of the elementary campuses received an F rating in the school progress domain. SSISD also did not earn any distinction designations.
Bowie Primary received a C accountability rating overall. The campus received an F rating for Closing the Gaps.
Bush Primary received a B accountability rating overall.
Lamar Primary received an F accountability rating overall. The campus received D ratings for student achievement, school progress and Closing the Gaps, all based on STAAR scores.
Travis Primary received a D accountability rating overall. The campus received a D rating for student achievement, a C rating for school progress and an F rating for Closing the Gaps, based on students’ STAAR scores.
The primary campuses were only eligible for distinctions in student achievement in ELAR, math, postsecondary readiness and comparative Closing the Gaps. Bowie, Lamar and Travis Primary Schools received lower scores in the Student Achievement category due to the fourth grade students moving to Sulphur Springs Elementary. Third grade is the first grade level tested, so those campuses cannot show student growth on the STAAR.
Sulphur Springs Elementary School received a B accountability rating overall and earned distinction designations for science and comparative academic growth.
SSMS received a B accountability rating overall and earned distinction designations for all categories except ELAR.
SSHS received a B accountability rating overall and earned a distinction designation in ELAR.
Douglass ECLC and Barbara Bush Primary campuses did not serve any grade level for which the STAAR assessments were administered and were evaluated on the district’s overall results.
Bowie, Lamar and Travis Primaries, SSES and SSMS are identified for support and improvement.
SSISD received a Superior financial rating for the 2018-2019 school year through the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), with a score of 100. Districts are scored on 15 indicators — five regarding the financial audit, five regarding cash on hand and current investments, four relating to general business and one regarding student ratios.
SSISD’s 2018-2019 District Accreditation Status, which is required to operate as a public school, is accredited.
There were no incidents recorded at any SSISD campus during the 2018-2019 school year, and no SSISD campuses are identified as “persistently dangerous schools.”
The district has all individual 2019-2020 campus improvement plans posted on the SSISD website at www.ssisd.net/page/Campus.Plans.