More Dallas ISD schools fail to meet state accountability standards

Dallas Morning News

By: Matthew Hagg

More Dallas ISD schools failed to meet to state academic standards in the 2013-14 school year than in the previous year.

According to Texas Education Agency data released Friday, 43 Dallas ISD schools received a rating of “improvement required,” up from 34 the previous year. In the state’s pass-fail system, schools either receive that failing score or “met standard.” In DISD, 184 schools met standard, down from 189 in the 2012-13 school year.

“The state’s performance standards are becoming more rigorous year after year and the vast majority of our campuses are rising to the challenge,” said Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said in a statement. “While there is clearly still much work to do, Dallas teachers and administrators took positive steps forward this year on behalf of our students.”

Dallas ISD didn’t mention the increase in failing schools in a news release sent Friday. Miles didn’t immediately return a request for comment Friday.

Among DISD high schools, the following campuses didn’t meet standards: Lincoln, Pinkston, Roosevelt, Samuell, South Oak Cliff, Spruce, Carter, Conrad and Wilmer-Hutchins.

Schools that meet standard can also earn up to seven distinctions for excelling in different areas. Twenty Dallas ISD schools received at least six of those distinctions, which include high performance on math, reading or science.

Some Dallas ISD schools also showed improvement over the 2012-13 school year and got off the failing list. They include Moseley Elementary School near Rylie, Gooch Elementary in North Dallas and Highland Meadows in Far East Dallas.

Miles allocated $8.9 million in the 2013-14 school year to put more teachers, resources and tutors in the struggling schools in West and South Dallas. Miles promised ambitious academic gains. Three schools there — Earhart Learning Center, Dunbar Learning Center and Stevens Park Elementary — improved their ratings this year to “met standard.” Lincoln fell to the failing list.

Following the 2012-13 school year, Miles replaced more than 50 principals. In those principals’ first year, four of them saw their schools improve to “met standard.” However, nine of the new principals inherited schools with “met standard” that dropped to “improvement required.”