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Round Rock ISD reports mixed results on student well-being; elementary gains, secondary lag
Summary
District presenters said Panorama and district climate survey data show gains in elementary belonging and self-efficacy but lower favorable responses in grades 6-12; administrators outlined enrichment and advanced-academics outreach targeting belonging and safety.
Round Rock ISD administrators presented data to trustees on board Goal 4 (student well-being), saying elementary students showed stronger favorable responses on sense of belonging and self-efficacy while secondary students trailed national comparators.
Assistant Superintendent Byron Girard and the counseling and enrichment teams told the board they expanded reporting beyond Panorama survey results by cross-referencing the district—s climate survey and program participation data. "We will provide you with this Panorama survey data but we'll also expand our report to you by including some data from other survey resources," said Steve Clark, director of counseling services.
Key findings presented: districtwide favorable responses to the broad well-being measure were 55% in both fall 2024 and spring 2025 (target for 2025 was 61%). Elementary students (grades 3-5) reported higher favorable rates: 70% favorable on the Panorama belonging question and an 88% favorable response on a comparable Round Rock ISD climate question. Secondary students (grades 6-12) reported a 44% favorable rate for sense of belonging, putting Round Rock ISD secondary respondents near the 20th national percentile for Panorama.
Why it matters: Trustees and staff said the gap between elementary and secondary results pointed to different social pressures—staff highlighted social media and peer dynamics at secondary levels—and discussed how enrichment programs and targeted outreach to Title I campuses and underrepresented groups can both build belonging and channel students into advanced pathways.
Programs and interventions: Director of Enrichment Rain Maggio told trustees students who participate in district enrichment programs are more likely to report favorable senses of belonging; the district analyzed about 4,200 enrichment participants and found higher belonging scores than the general population. Chief of Access and Opportunity Karyn Gray described "student insight cards" and targeted outreach at two middle-school vertical-learning pilots (Chisholm Trail and Hernandez) that led to measurable increases in students enrolling in advanced pathways.
Safety and self-efficacy: Panorama results showed 59% of elementary students reported feeling safe at school and 54% favorable for grades 6-12; the district climate survey reported higher perceived safety (around 70% for secondary). The district—s self-efficacy measure met or exceeded the target for grades 3-5 (73% favorable on a Panorama question) and showed steady increases in grades 6-12.
Board discussion and next steps: Trustees asked staff whether Panorama and the district climate survey were comparable; staff acknowledged the measures use different Likert cut points and said they are crosswalking questions and considering follow-up focus groups to probe sources of students— feelings of limited belonging. Staff said they will continue disaggregating data by campus, student group, and cohort and will present targeted interventions to trustees in coming months.
