Ysleta ISD earned the highest College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) scores among El Paso’s three largest school districts, according to 2021 state accountability results recently released by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
According to officials, despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 shutdown of schools and mid-year switch to Online Learning, 79% of Ysleta ISD students who graduated in 2020 were considered career- or college-ready – a larger proportion than seen throughout the state (63%), El Paso ISD (73%) and Socorro ISD (61%), according to state figures.
In addition, five Ysleta ISD high schools earned CCMR scores of at least 85% – they included J.M. Hanks High School (86%), Parkland High School (87%), Riverside High School (94%), Ysleta High School (98%), and Valle Verde Early College High School (99%).
“Excellence in education begins with a belief that every student will excel,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre. “This creates a strong academic foundation that sets the stage for success for our graduates, regardless of whether they pursue postsecondary education, go straight into the workplace, or serve our nation in the military.”
“Solid instruction and committed educators truly make the difference for our children,” Dr. De La Torre added.
District officials added that, compared to the previous year, Ysleta ISD officials said 2021 accountability results show its greatest academic improvements were in the areas of college preparation courses – both in English language arts (from 22% to 32%) and mathematics (from 24% to 34%) – as well as industry certifications (from 20% to 23%), dual credit (from 19% to 21%), and OnRamps courses (from 1% to 10%).
TEA uses the state’s accountability system to evaluate the academic performance of Texas public schools across three domains:
- Student Achievement: Evaluates performance across all subjects for all students on both general and alternate assessments; College, Career, and Military Readiness indicators; and graduation rates.
- School Progress: Measures district and campus outcomes in 1) number of students that grew at least one year academically (or are on track) on STAAR results and 2) achievement of students relative to districts/campuses with similar economically disadvantaged percentages (Academic Growth was not calculated for 2021).
- Closing the Gaps: Uses disaggregated data to demonstrate differentials among racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic background, and other factors.
Normally, districts and campuses receive A-F ratings as part of the accountability system, but in 2021, TEA officials said districts and campuses received a “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster” label overall and in each domain.
In addition, Distinction Designations were not awarded for 2021, and military enlistment data was excluded from CCMR accountability until it can be obtained directly from the U.S. Armed Forces.
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