Arlington ISD midyear benchmark: students close to year‑end goals; CCMR showing strong upward trend

Arlington ISD presented midyear academic results to trustees Thursday showing the district is close to several of its end‑of‑year goals but still needs additional gains, especially in math and science.

Key findings: Using a benchmark assessment administered in February (a previously released STAAR exam), the district reported that third‑grade reading and math results were roughly two to three percentage points below the board’s year‑end targets. Districtwide reading and math (third grade through Algebra I) were similarly a few points short of the goals trustees set at the start of the year.

College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR): Assistant Superintendent Dr. Natalie Lopez reported 77% of current seniors had a CCMR point as of March 24. That figure is measured on a rolling basis and district staff noted it traditionally rises during April–May as students complete AP, industry certification, dual‑credit and other pathways. Lopez cited last year’s pattern — a roughly 13‑point rise between this presentation date and the end‑of‑year total — as reason for confidence the district can reach its 90% CCMR goal.

District responses: Executive staff described a multilayered approach to accelerate learning: targeted campus support plans led by instructional facilitators, embedded teacher coaching, intentional PLCs that translate assessment data to student‑level interventions and collaboration between central curriculum staff and campus leaders. The district said it will continue interventions before STAR and the end‑of‑year assessments and highlighted concentrated work at identified campuses.

Trustees asked for context on assessment timing and the relationship between the interim benchmark and the final STAR tests; staff said the benchmark is a released STAAR item set and that students and teachers have several weeks of instruction remaining before STAAR. Trustees also asked whether current trends make the CCMR goal achievable; staff pointed to the historical year‑end increases and ongoing CCMR work as supporting the projection.

No board action was required; the report was informational.