[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6095202,"mediaKeyId","2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1","parentId",2840180,"title","LA JOYA ISD honors dozens of students, teams and staff for regional and state achievements","audioSeconds",2535,"startMs",2324000,"endMs",4859000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1&start=2324&end=4859","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1/thumbnail_2324000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6095202/Texas/LA-JOYA-ISD-honors-dozens-of-students-teams-and-staff-for-regional-and-state-achievements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095202-6216a2b8e853e148ea674360495e19b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200479&Signature=HU4U8FXsWrWfe~MRCa7-Gj77mieRyN1~3Kdq4cDOScVmmAo7WjXO-kw0Irb~1kBcg7Gh8l6ouMb7NCtFdkM~NUTV4RvagkmB7NS5IZeoaUap~8O0zOEAWUzgdqem89YniIHWx2rUTQg7Whq~c8UG22~b9v7HCyFkZCVXaL6OV3SB2qC9FW8UJGcjjH7Gn1yHePTQ67HYoM5TnvSK-azAytV8wmElkXHnpx-cyg1C2kgL0jZLTzr~OW2psur3VeQ0e5r2hLaQ7MYID9BFoLmJxZWM-HMDXQqKV7woRiz4-Ax3q7UUAUSYgakTTXx8FDmV0FxW887KFqdqfS~RKsIqIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","La Joya ISD","date","2025-03-31T14:45:27Z","article","LA JOYA ISD recognized dozens of students, coaches and staff during a special board meeting, honoring accomplishments across science, debate, UIL academics, mariachi and competitive athletics, as well as campus Crime Stoppers work.

School and district leaders presented awards and certificates to students who qualified for regional and state competition and to campus- and district-level programs with notable results. Highlights announced at the meeting included:

- Science and research: Presenters said 18 district students who placed at the Rio Grande Valley Regional Science and Engineering Fair advanced to the Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in College Station; the presenters named students and accompanying principals and sponsors by campus.

- Crime Stoppers: LA JOYA ISD Campus Crime Stoppers received the Campus Crime Stoppers Productivity Award for most cases cleared at the 29th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers conference. The district named student board members and adult advisors; Chief Leonardo Sanchez and coordinator Luis Salinas accepted and were listed as program leads.

- Fine arts and music: Juarez Lincoln High School band student Rodolfo Rojas was recognized for earning a seat in the 2025 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) all-state ensemble. All three LA JOYA ISD high‑school mariachi ensembles received Division I ratings at the UIL South Texas contest and advanced to the UIL State Mariachi Festival; several student vocalists also received outstanding performer awards or national mariachi finalist recognition.

- UIL, debate and academic contests: Multiple middle and high schools were recognized for district championships and state qualifiers in UIL competitions, CX debate advancement to state, district elementary champions in reading, calculator and other contests, and middle-school and high-school academic champions.

- Athletics and Special Olympics: The board recognized district teams and individual athletes for district and regional finishes across soccer, basketball, wrestling, powerlifting, swimming, track and Special Olympics floorball. Several teams and athletes qualified for regionals and state; coaches and campus coordinators were named in the reports.

Presenters and coaches brought students and sponsors to the front for photographs. The recognitions were ceremonial; no board action or votes were associated with the items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LJISD Board Meeting 3.26.25","oneSentenceSummary","The board recognized student winners and teams across academics, arts and athletics — including 18 regional science fair awardees advancing to the state fair, campus Crime Stoppers awards, multiple UIL and mariachi state qualifiers and numerous district athletic champions.","taxTitle","LA JOYA ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",14173,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095205,"LA JOYA ISD centennial committee recounts 1966–1985 growth, mariachi program origins",1503,620000,2123000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1&start=620&end=2123","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1/thumbnail_620000.jpg","/articles/6095205/Texas/LA-JOYA-ISD-centennial-committee-recounts-19661985-growth-mariachi-program-origins","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095205-294c2fb70eece0b5a1cf21d6f9029c7c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200479&Signature=I8A~7wwPRbKSPq08eyxdqba-Q07ybL3e1RXt0CBXqApq9aNG4mpbzxaBOmWaiCq5IRZpSOYYAdSLNqcJODTra2aeD0r4uHW2urhAdmiHJdSOxW~AwHatR5W5hH4VGXFkuEHR98U5C9tvZHmn5bZi3vwHzwcnYrhTAAJOBPNstkx2uPe8Mu93nlyGnslKXR6eMo7umkwifYchnemNZlPyAw6JmtrVSZM2je35Z~CK6c0ilMpfmFUGy2MpTRLPa4u0Gp4nVJjFZ~v06fHqTyRUZLVidqtvDVEfqDoDaoHNHjpOm0kAyvBaF1iW3U0tm1T8peG0mNFN9FqEQZjJ6AmKQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Centennial committee members presented a historical overview of LA JOYA ISD covering 1966–1985, highlighting rapid enrollment growth, leadership changes, a federal grant that funded new schools and a library, early teacher-recruitment initiatives and the district’s role in establishing an academic mariachi program.

The presentation was offered as part of the district’s 100-year celebration; committee members said the history underscores how past decisions shaped current programs and community identity.

Mister Silva and Mister Chapa led the presentation, describing a period of rapid enrollment increases that forced the district to recruit and retain teachers aggressively. Chapa recounted that the district raised teacher pay and provided free transportation for teachers who lived outside the district; staff arranged buses that met teachers at a McAllen location to bring them to LA JOYA ISD campuses. He said those measures helped fill teacher vacancies during a period when enrollment rose by nearly a thousand students a year.

The presenters described an approximately $2.9 million federal school-construction grant from Washington, D.C., that originally had been denied and later approved after appeals to congressional representatives; those funds supported construction of elementary schools, classrooms and a new library. The presentation also recounted a 1968 student walkout in Edcouch-Elsa: Chapa said that, after pressure in surrounding districts and the local political association, LA JOYA ISD accepted 20 students from Edcouch-Elsa so they could continue schooling while their cases were resolved.

Both presenters highlighted cultural and programmatic innovations from the period. They said the district began a mariachi and ballet folklórico program in 1981 — described in the presentation as one of the earliest such programs in South Texas — and said the program later won invitations to perform at the White House, at civic events and at international festivals, and contributed to mariachi’s growth as an accepted UIL activity. \"La Joya was the first school district in South Texas to start these programs,\" a presenter said, adding that the program helped students earn statewide and national recognition.

The committee also described origins for the district mascot and logo. The coyote mascot, presenters said, came from a student design contest; the emblem now behind the board table, they said, was developed from an original sketch that combined a red schoolhouse, a home motif and rays to symbolize students as \"jewels\" raised by education.

Superintendent Dr. Sorensen thanked the committee for the presentation and said she was honored to learn the district’s history as the centennial observance continues.

The presentation was informational; no actions or votes were taken.","Centennial committee members traced district growth from 1966–1985, including teacher-recruitment tactics, an approximately $2.9 million federal grant used for new schools and libraries, and the district’s early mariachi program that later gained national recognition.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":80,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095211,"LA JOYA ISD presents TAPR: district reports verified AB accountability rating, financial ‘A’",554,66000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1&start=66&end=620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2840180-91e83af17b8a2cb258e15188cfc63fe1/thumbnail_66000.jpg","/articles/6095211/Texas/LA-JOYA-ISD-presents-TAPR-district-reports-verified-AB-accountability-rating-financial-A","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095211-462c8db57df29b17ff81297969f98432/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200479&Signature=HTlKhK5xeWnNT6QrkGcSCsIEOH-5H09gbE0Y3OJTEylLgR-fLMdPLptt2tMPL4w~Y3yeI2fpr-t-gtxEGDr1fMtuBBfqg4yDMD9VXX96fGo8UbDtXIr9nfi8SXsk0~uVT8Xp6q3ALg9CBmpnD3XgCdXYO50JdXZ9xRyb6JQCy-GYhsr2K2TKOmQM0mxJcK-AENbvqXelfCTSI-SieNl42toP1COtBvZqRbtLm740GCz2nEQY5owFGY8c99zag8UQmz47eaWp5tnBtscuSFORitw6gTebWf~Hj2aQapYzcWU9W~kFZ3imxB8GUeA-tzp1y7qZ84nIjqKL~bn7UGzGSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LA JOYA ISD trustees heard the annual Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) during a public hearing, where district staff said the report shows the district is accredited for 2022–23, has a verified accountability rating of AB (84) and received a financial rating of A for superior achievement.

The TAPR presentation matters because the report summarizes prior-year academic and financial performance that informs families, staff and state oversight, and because the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has placed release of A–F accountability ratings on hold this cycle pending legislative and administrative activity.

District and assessment staff told the board the TAPR is a statutory requirement under state code and that the full report and supporting files (PEIMS financials, violent-incident reports, campus performance objectives and postsecondary results) will be posted on the district website and the assessment department’s site. \"The Texas Education Code, sub chapter 39.306, does require that every district publish that annual report, hold a public hearing of the annual report, and widely disseminate that annual report throughout the district,\" said Ms. Flores of the district assessment team.

Staff said TEA did not issue A–F ratings for 2023–24 and therefore the TAPR notes accreditation for the 2022–23 year. Ms. Flores told the board LA JOYA ISD’s financial accountability was rated A (superior achievement). She also reported the district’s internally verified accountability rating would have been AB with a verified score of 84, based on the three domains TEA uses: student achievement, student progress and closing the gaps.

\"Our current verified accountability rating with TEA is AB. And that is a verified score of an 84,\" Ms. Flores said. Sebastian Duque, the district’s director of assessment and accountability, reviewed the performance comparisons and trends, saying the district \"grew or we maintained our prior year's performance, while the state only maintained their performance in reading. They actually regressed in math, science, and social studies.\" Duque noted that at the meets level La Joya ISD led the region and state in math performance.

Staff also highlighted career, college and military readiness (CCMR) results: the district outpaced the region and state in career and military-ready graduates but said it lagged in college-ready indicators and that more work will be required to close that gap. Duque and Flores noted many certification and advanced assessments are still being administered; Duque said some certification testing continues into June and that those results can change annual CCMR figures. Staff said the district is working toward its House Bill 3 CCMR goal (reported by staff as a 93 percent target) and did not foresee major obstacles to reaching that target given pending certification results.

Staff reported specific benchmark figures for early grades: third-grade reading met level at 26 percent with a goal of 42 percent; third-grade math meets at 18 percent of a 36 percent goal; and eighth-grade reading met level at 40 percent of a 49 percent goal. The presentation also covered special education determination (staff said the district meets requirements) and other TAPR components.

The board asked no follow-up questions during the public hearing and no members of the public offered comments; the hearing was closed after the presentation and the links to the full TAPR were described as posted to the district and assessment websites.

The presentation was delivered as an informational public hearing; no board action was taken on the report.

Sources: Presentation to the LA JOYA ISD Board of Trustees by Ms. Flores and Sebastian Duque, Director of Assessment and Accountability; Texas Education Code citation provided during the hearing.","District staff presented the Texas Academic Performance Report to the board, noting an accredited status for 2022–23, a verified accountability rating of AB (score 84), and an A financial rating; TEA’s A–F ratings remain on hold.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

LA JOYA ISD honors dozens of students, teams and staff for regional and state achievements

LA JOYA ISD centennial committee recounts 1966–1985 growth, mariachi program origins

LA JOYA ISD presents TAPR: district reports verified AB accountability rating, financial ‘A’