EPISD reports progress and gaps on TSI, IBC and SAT goals under House Bill 3
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Summary
District staff told trustees that TSI test-only college-readiness rates have risen over two years but remain below district targets; staff outlined strategies including embedded Khan Academy SAT practice, campus audits to boost industry-based certification completers, and requested deeper disaggregated data for board review.
El Paso Independent School District staff presented a condensed House Bill 3 College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) report at the Jan. 20 board meeting, highlighting growth on some measures and shortfalls on others.
Al Garcia, chief academic officer, introduced the report and said the presentation focused on TSI (Texas Success Initiative) test results, industry-based certifications (IBC), and SAT readiness. Jason Long, executive director for advanced academics (introduced by Garcia), described progress-measure goals for 2026 graduates and current performance against those targets.
Long said the district’s TSI test-only goals are 57% in English and 39% in math for the 2026 graduating cohort. He reported test-only performance listed during the meeting as roughly 38%–39% in English and 30%–31% in math, up from about 21% and 18% two years earlier. Staff credited embedded ninth-grade practice and backward-planned curriculum as drivers of multi-year growth.
On industry-based certifications, staff said the district’s 2026 goal is 26% but current projections are nearer 20%, noting the IBC definition recently tightened (requiring more coursework/completer status). Administrators said they are auditing senior schedules and working to place juniors earlier into appropriate pathways to recover ground.
For SAT measures, presenters restated goals — 50% of juniors meeting the 480 reading benchmark and 26% meeting the 530 math benchmark — and told trustees that SAT data from March testing will be available by mid- to late April. To improve SAT outcomes without over-testing, staff described a classroom-integrated partnership with Khan Academy that links in-class lessons to SAT practice modules; campuses are monitored on usage metrics and staff provide support to campuses with low engagement.
Trustees asked for clarifications about which measures were included in blended readiness criteria (TSI + SAT + ACT + college-prep) and staff confirmed the presented TSI figures were test-only; a composite number requires adding SAT and ACT data. Trustees requested a deeper dive correlating SAT outcomes with advanced coursework and other predictors, and staff agreed to provide longitudinal, disaggregated, and correlational data for future board review.