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Dallas ISD officials report grade improvements at several Balch Springs-area schools
Summary
Dallas Independent School District regional leaders told the Balch Springs City Council that several neighborhood schools moved from failing grades to B ratings, citing student growth in math and reading.
Dallas Independent School District officials told the Balch Springs City Council on Sept. 22 that several area schools improved their overall accountability ratings this year, with student growth driving the gains.
Prisma Garcia, Dallas ISD trustee for District 4, introduced the presentation and said she represents District 4 on the board. "I'm happy to represent as of as of May, this year," Garcia said during the meeting.
Dr. Laura Garza, Dallas ISD regional director for Region 1, said multiple campuses that had F ratings last year showed measurable gains this year. "Cuellar was an F rating overall last year. This year is now a B," Garza said. She said similar improvements were reported at Kleberg Elementary, Lago Elementary and another elementary listed by the district as having moved from F to B. Dr. Garza said student growth—measures that track improvements for students year to year—was a leading factor in the schools' higher ratings. She added that Young Women's STEAM Academy maintained a B and that year-to-year changes in some subject scores can reflect how many students took particular state tests.
The trustees framed the improvements as the result of targeted instruction and collaboration between district staff and local leaders. Garcia said the district can provide additional information on other schools on request.
The presentation did not include proposed actions for the council to take; it was delivered as an update during the "Items of interest" portion of the meeting. No funding requests or formal motions related to the schools appeared in the transcript.
Why it matters: School accountability ratings affect parents, city officials and municipal planning because changes in school performance can influence enrollment patterns, after-school programming and local partnerships the council and city departments might pursue.
What happened next: The council heard other agenda items after the presentation, including routine staff reports and several board and committee appointments.
