Kilgore ISD annual report: reading gains, math and special-education gaps remain

Kilgore — The Kilgore ISD Board of Trustees on Jan. 20 received the district’s 2024–25 annual report, which highlighted improvements in reading but continued weaknesses in math and special education outcomes.

The presenter summarized district metrics, saying “our kids are getting there in reading, but they're really, really struggling with the math portion of it.” The report noted that 51 percent of students met the early literacy goal (a target of 50 percent), while third-grade math met the standard at 39 percent against a 50 percent goal. The district’s career and college readiness (CCMR) target was 78; the actual percentage reported was 69.2.

The presentation included special education detail: 49 percent of the special-education population were reported with an intellectual-disability label, 21.6 percent as physically disabled and 16.6 percent with a behavioral-disability label. The presenter described the special-education determination as “needs improvement” under state reporting rules.

Board members pressed for next steps focused on interventions and continuity of instruction, particularly given teacher experience levels. The presenter said the district would emphasize targeted intervention, continuity of programming and additional teacher training to move beyond proficiency toward fluency in content areas.

The board did not take action on the report; the item was provided for information and will inform ongoing campus improvement plans and the district’s strategy for summer and academic-year interventions.