Cleveland, Devers, Hardin, Liberty, Tarkington ISDs receive positive ratings on TEA report card

The Texas Education Agency on Monday released its 2022 A-F accountability ratings for school districts and campuses, and the results show that five of the seven school districts in Liberty County received scores of B or higher, with Dayton ISD and Hull-Daisetta ISD earning overall ratings of C. Devers ISD, which is comprised of an elementary campus and junior high campus only, had the highest rating county-wide – an A – with a score of 96 out of 100 points. Cleveland, Hardin, Liberty and Tarkington ISDs earned scores of B.

For Cleveland ISD, this year’s scores are the first time since TEA began the accountability ratings for the District to receive a score as high as a B, and school district personnel are celebrating.

“With our rapid growth and all the other challenges the District has faced, this is a tremendous accomplishment by the staff across the District,” McCanless said. “We have had so many challenges over the last year with a new superintendent coming in mid-year. Whenever there is change like that, it impacts stability, but our staff stayed focused in spite of everything.”

Because of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, TEA has not released the accountability ratings consistently during the last five years. In 2017-2018, a Hurricane Harvey provision kept scores from being assessed. In 2018-2019, scores were released. Then in 2019-2020, and 2020-2021, TEA declared a State of Disaster due to the pandemic.

“With COVID, the disaster, attendance issues, the constant influx of students and then teachers not returning after the pandemic, it has been a real challenge for school districts,” McCanless said.

McCanless said the goal now is maintaining and improving upon that score, which will be challenging with the District’s enrollment now at 12,000 students.

“We are going to look at what we did this past school year that got us to where we are and we will improve on the areas that will increase our scores even higher,” he said. “I am extremely proud of all CISD staff who dedicated their energy to not only make the students successful, but the District as well. I am the proudest superintendent in Texas at the release of this news from Texas Education Agency.”

Hardin ISD Superintendent Scott Mackey, on the job now for a year and a half, is eyeing ways to raise his District’s scores even more next year.

“Point wise, we went up four points, so I am tickled by that,” Mackey said. “We are looking at ways to bring the score higher through reading intervention strategies that will help our students from elementary through high school.”

Mackey said the dedication of the District’s teaching staff is key.

“Dr. Ashlee Boothe has been doing a lot of our professional development with our teachers this summer. A lot of our teachers also have been doing peer-to-peer training. They spent hours up at our schools this summer. There was no obligation but they had a desire to get better,” he said.

Despite scoring a C, Dayton ISD Asst. Superintendent of Student Services Travis Young said the District is proud of the gains it has made, such as Dayton High School’s “Math Distinction.”

“We are focusing on specific areas so that we can continue to improve our academics,” Young said.

Here’s a closer look at each of the County’s seven school districts:

(It should be noted that these reports are from student enrollment for 2021-2021, so enrollment numbers have changed since that time. Student demographic information, such as race/ethnicity, are listed, but groups that make up less than 2 percent of student enrollment are omitted from this report.)

Cleveland – B – 80 out of 100

• Enrollment: 8,870
• 93.7 percent economically disadvantaged
• 8.3 percent special education
• 52 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 83.3 percent Hispanic, 11.4 percent white, 3.8 black
• Number of students per teacher: 16
• Number of full-time staff: 1,110
• Number of full-time teachers: 555.9
• Campus breakdown:
  – Southside Elementary – C
  – Pine Burr Elementary – C
  – Northside Elementary – Not rated
  – Douglass Learning Academy – B
  – Eastside Elementary – C
  – DAEP – Not rated
  – Cottonwood Elementary – Not rated
  – Cleveland Middle School – Not rated
  – Cleveland High School – B

Dayton – C – 72 out of 100

• Enrollment: 5,472
• 71.5 percent economically disadvantaged
• 12 percent special education
• 21 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 46 percent white, 44.3 percent Hispanic, 6.4 percent black
• Number of students per teacher: 15.9
• Number of full-time staff: 750.3
• Number of full-time teachers: 344.8
• Campus breakdown:
  – Austin Elementary – C
  – Colbert Elementary – C
  – Dayton High School – C
  – Nottingham Alternative Education Center – Not rated
  – Kimmie M. Brown Elementary – Not rated
  – Richter Elementary – C
  – Wilson Junior High – Not rated

Devers – A – 96 out of 100

• Enrollment: 205
• 38 percent economically disadvantaged
• 9.8 percent special education
• 13 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 67.3 percent white, 25.4 percent Hispanic, 5.9 percent black
• Number of students per teacher: 15.3
• Number of full-time staff: 25.9
• Number of full-time teachers: 13.4
• Campus breakdown:
  – Devers Elementary – A
  – Devers Junior High – A

Hardin – B – 87 out of 100

• Enrollment: 1,223
• 57.4 percent economically disadvantaged
• 9.6 percent special education
• 2 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 77.1 percent white, 16.1 percent Hispanic, 2.9 percent black
• Number of students per teacher: 11
• Number of full-time staff: 223.9
• Number of full-time teachers: 110.9
• Campus breakdown:
  – Hardin Elementary – C
  – Hardin Junior High (includes Intermediate Campus) – C
  – Hardin High School – B

Hull-Daisetta – C – 78 out of 100

• Enrollment: 460
• 68.9 percent economically disadvantaged
• 13.7 percent special education
• 1.1 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 77.8 percent white, 10 percent black, 8.3 percent Hispanic
• Number of students per teacher: 10
• Number of full-time staff: 108.9
• Number of full-time teachers: 46
• Campus breakdown:
  – Hull-Daisetta Elementary – Not rated
  – Hull-Daisetta Junior High – B
  – Hull-Daisetta High School – B

Liberty – B – 85 out of 100

• Enrollment: 2,223
• 59.8 percent economically disadvantaged
• 12.8 percent special education
• 17.7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 40.9 percent white, 40 percent Hispanic, 14.3 percent black, 3.8 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 15.2
• Number of full-time staff: 365
• Number of full-time teachers: 145.9
• Campus breakdown:
  – San Jacinto Elementary – B
  – Liberty Elementary – B
  – Liberty Middle School – C
  – Liberty High School – B

Tarkington – B – 88 out of 100

• Enrollment: 1,715
• 53.3 percent economically disadvantaged
• 14.4 percent special education
• 3.7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 84.4 percent white, 12.2 percent Hispanic, 2.2 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 12.4
• Number of full-time staff: 269.7
• Number of full-time teachers: 138.8
• Campus breakdown:
  – Tarkington Primary – B
  – Tarkington Intermediate – B
  – Tarkington Middle School – C
  – Tarkington High School – B

Here is a view of some of the school districts in neighboring counties:

Anahuac (Chambers County) – A – 90 out of 100

• Enrollment: 1,323
• 46.3 percent economically disadvantaged
• 11 percent special education
• 7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 48.1 percent white, 34.6 percent Hispanic, 10.7 percent black, 4.5 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 13.4
• Number of full-time staff: 193.9
• Number of full-time teachers: 99
• Campus breakdown
  – Anahuac Elementary – B
  – Anahuac Middle School – B
  – Anahuac High School – B

Barbers Hill (Chambers County) A – 95 out of 100

• Enrollment: 6,410
• 24.5 percent economically disadvantaged
• 10.2 percent special education
• 3.7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 65.2 percent white, 26.4 percent Hispanic, 3.67 percent black, 3.2 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 13.4
• Number of full-time staff: 969.8
• Number of full-time teachers: 477.2
• Campus breakdown:
  – Alternative School – Not rated
  – Barbers Hill Elementary North – A
  – Barbers Hill Elementary South – B
  – Barbers Hill High School – A
  – Barbers Hill Middle School North – A
  – Barbers Hill Middle School South – A
  – Early Childhood Center – B
  – Highpoint – Not rated

Coldspring-Oakhurst (San Jacinto County) – Not Rated – a Not Rated label is used when the domain or overall scaled score is less than 70

• Enrollment: 1,528
• 62.2 percent economically disadvantaged
• 13 percent special education
• 1.4 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 66.8 percent white, 15.7 percent black, 12 percent Hispanic, 5.1 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 13.1
• Number of full-time staff: 279
• Number of full-time teachers: 116.9
• Campus breakdown:
  – Street Elementary – C
  – Coldspring Intermediate – C
  – Lincoln Junior High – Not rated
  – Coldspring-Oakhurst High School – C

Crosby (Harris County) – B – 84 out of 100

• Enrollment: 6,319
• 53.6 percent economically disadvantaged
• 11.2 percent special education
• 15.9 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 43.9 percent Hispanic, 38.9 percent white, 13.8 percent black, 2.6 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 16
• Number of full-time staff: 737.5
• Number of full-time teachers: 395
• Campus breakdown:
  – Barrett Elementary – A
  – Crosby Crossroads Academy – C
  – Crosby Elementary – B
  – Crosby High School – B
  – Crosby Kindergarten Center – B
  – Crosby Middle School – C
  – Drew Elementary – B
  – Highpoint School East – Not rated
  – Newport Elementary – B

East Chambers (Chambers County) – B – 89 out of 100

• Enrollment: 1,506
• 56.8 percent economically disadvantaged
• 10.1 percent special education
• 27 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 46.9 percent Hispanic, 42 percent white, 7.6 percent black, 2.6 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 13.1
• Number of full-time staff: 213.7
• Number of full-time teachers: 114.9
• Campus breakdown:
  – East Chambers Elementary – B
  – East Chambers Primary – B
  – East Chambers Junior High – B
  – East Chambers High School – B

Huffman (Harris County) – B – 86 out of 100

• Enrollment: 3,434
• 34.4 percent economically disadvantaged
• 13.8 percent special education
• 7.7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 69.6 percent white, 25.5 percent Hispanic, 2.5 percent black
• Number of students per teacher: 15.2
• Number of full-time staff: 476.9
• Number of full-time teachers: 225.7
• Campus breakdown:
  – Excel Academy – Not rated
  – Falcon Ridge Elementary – B
  – Hargrave High School – B
  – Huffman Elementary – B
  – Huffman Middle School – C

Livingston (Polk County) – B – 81 out of 100

• Enrollment: 3,797
• 60.7 percent economically disadvantaged
• 12.4 percent special education
• 9.6 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 59.9 percent white, 25.9 percent Hispanic, 9.1 percent black, 4.1 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 14
• Number of full-time staff: 517.3
• Number of full-time teachers: 270.5
• Campus breakdown:
  – Cedar Grove Elementary – B
  – Creekside Elementary – A
  – Livingston High School – C
  – Livingston High School Academy – Not rated
  – Livingston Junior High – C
  – Pine Ridge Primary – A
  – Timber Creek Elementary – A

Shepherd (San Jacinto County) – B – 86 out of 100

• Enrollment: 1,924
• 67 percent economically disadvantaged
• 11.1 percent special education
• 18.9 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 52.6 percent white, 37.5 percent Hispanic, 5.7 percent two or more races, 4 percent black
• Number of students per teacher: 14.5
• Number of full-time staff: 298.1
• Number of full-time teachers: 132.8
• Campus breakdown:
  – Shepherd High School – B
  – Shepherd Intermediate – B
  – Shepherd Middle School – B
  – Shepherd Primary – B

Splendora (Montgomery County) – B – 81 out of 100

• Enrollment: 4,145
• 67.2 percent economically disadvantaged
• 11.4 percent special education
• 20.5 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 54.6 percent white, 42.6 percent Hispanic, 2 percent two or more races
• Number of students per teacher: 13.7
• Number of full-time staff: 647.3
• Number of full-time teachers: 302.3
• Campus breakdown:
  – Greenleaf Elementary – C
  – Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program – Not rated
  – Peach Creek Elementary – C
  – Piney Woods Elementary – C
  – Splendora High School – C
  – Splendora Junior High – B
  – Timber Lakes Elementary – Not rated

West Hardin (Hardin County) – B – 87 out of 100

• Enrollment: 535
• 64.5 percent economically disadvantaged
• 10.7 percent special education
• 0.7 percent emergent bilingual/English learners
• By ethnicity: 92.9 percent white, 4.7 percent Hispanic
• Number of students per teacher: 11.1
• Number of full-time staff: 88.8
• Number of full-time teachers: 48.1
• Campus breakdown:
  – West Hardin Elementary – A
  – West Hardin High School – B

There were 1,195 districts and 8,451 campuses rated this year, with returns showing promising signs of progress in Texas’s efforts to catch students up academically. Driven by significant gains in student academic growth, 2022 saw 25 percent of districts and 33 percent of campuses improve their letter grade from 2019. Eighteen percent of high-poverty campuses in Texas were rated an A, continuing to prove that demographics do not equal destiny, according to the TEA report.

“These results show our state’s significant investment in the post-pandemic academic recovery of Texas public school students is bearing fruit,” said Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. “I’m grateful for the driving force behind this year’s success: our teachers and local school leaders. Statewide policy in Texas continues to remain focused on meeting the needs of students, with an accountability system that supports high expectations, robust tutoring supports, rigorous curricular resources, and an investment in evidence-based training for our teachers.” 

The A-F accountability system, established by House Bill 22 during the 85th Texas Legislature, provides educators, parents, and communities with a transparent view of the academic performance of Texas public schools based on three domains: Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps.

“This year, to align with Senate Bill 1365, districts and campuses received an A, B or C rating or were assigned a label of Not Rated: Senate Bill 1365, both overall and in each domain. This Not Rated: Senate Bill 1365 label was applied when the domain or overall scaled score for a district or campus was less than 70. Forty-two districts and 564 campuses received this label,” the TEA report states.

To view statewide accountability ratings, go online to https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/accountability/academic-accountability/performance-reporting/2022-accountability-rating-system