Prosper ISD officials present gains in STAR, MAP and AP participation; administration emphasizes multiple measures

Prosper ISD's chief academic officer, Mrs. Coughborough, told the Board of Trustees Monday that students posted gains on state and local assessments in 2024-25 and that the district remains above state averages in core subjects. "We really don't believe that one test defines a student," Mrs. Coughborough said as she introduced the district's summary of STAR, EOC, TELPAS, MAP and AP/PSAT/SAT results. Coughborough told trustees that 92 percent of students scored at or above the "approaches" level in reading across tested grades and 87 percent did so in math at the elementary levels highlighted in her presentation. She also said 84 percent reached approaches in science and 81 percent in social studies; district presenters noted that science state tests are administered in fifth and eighth grades and that many eighth graders sit for Algebra I or other end-of-course (EOC) exams. The presentation compared STAR results from 2022 (the first year STAR was administered after COVID closures) to 2025, and Coughborough highlighted substantial gains, particularly among students who were in fourth grade during the spring 2020 school closures. She said MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) percentiles place Prosper students well above national norms, with elementary students clustering in the 70s and 80s percentile range for reading and math. Coughborough also reported increased participation in AP/PSAT/SAT testing: participation rose by roughly 2,000 test administrations year over year, and passing rates for AP exams (scores of 3 or higher) improved despite the larger test-taking cohort. She attributed success to a guaranteed and viable curriculum aligned to the TEKS, intentional campus collaboration, and targeted professional learning for teachers. Trustees asked clarifying questions. A board member asked whether the science scores reflected new TEKS; Coughborough confirmed last year was the first year for new science TEKS and noted the STAR test schedule (April administration) leaves about two months of instruction after testing that can affect results. No formal action accompanied the data presentation; the item was informational.