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Castleberry ISD reports strong 2026 STAR gains, exceeds HB3 third‑grade reading target
Summary
District staff presented preliminary 2026 STAR results showing widespread gains across campuses and grades; Castleberry exceeded its HB3 third‑grade reading target with 45% 'meets' combined and reported large reductions in students off‑track for graduation and algebra retesters.
Castleberry Independent School District officials reported widespread gains in preliminary 2026 STAR results and said the district exceeded its House Bill 3 third‑grade reading target. At a June board meeting, assessment lead Mr. Hutchkins described the data as a first‑look, raw snapshot that will be refined when the state posts final accountability figures.
"I'm elated to speak with you about the 2026 STAR scores," Mr. Hutchkins said, presenting slides that compared "first look" results from last year to this year campus‑by‑campus. He highlighted double‑digit gains in multiple grade‑level component scores and said many campuses were outperforming the state's 2025 benchmarks.
The district noted specific milestones: third‑grade combined 'meets' on reading rose to 45%, surpassing the district's HB3 goal of 40%, Superintendent Smith Faulner and Miss Schmidt told the board. "We came in at 45% combined. That is five full percentage points above our target," Miss Schmidt said. Presenters cautioned these are raw numbers that could change slightly in the state's final accountability (taper) report.
Staff also described substantive progress in secondary measures tied to graduation and remediation. In English I, district staff reported reducing the number of "retesters" (students initially off‑track to graduate) from 157 to 20 year‑over‑year after targeted interventions; in algebra, the district said retesters fell from 93 to 3 after focused supports. The presentations credited targeted interventions, additional ACE teacher support and sustained instructional investments for the gains.
Presenters described uneven spots that will receive campus‑level plans. First grade Spanish assessment data required alternate measures this year while the vendor (Amira/lectURa) finalizes full Spanish integration; staff said they will present research and an integration plan at the district ALT retreat and will build teacher support for campuses with lower growth.
District leaders also highlighted recognition outside state reporting. Staff cited national growth rankings showing Castleberry among high‑growth districts and local honors from the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram DFW Favorites contest, noting those recognitions reflect improvements across multiple campuses.
The board asked several technical questions about benchmarks, bilingual assessment parity and expected changes once new K–5 Bluebonnet math benchmarks are adopted. Staff said they will provide documentation on Spanish assessment research, explain new assessment baselines, and bring follow‑up accountability details when the state issues finalized results.
Next steps: district staff said they will incorporate the state’s final accountability (taper) report when it is released, present refined accountability numbers at future meetings and roll out campus‑level action plans at the ALT retreat to address first‑grade and other campus‑specific gaps.
Provenance: Presentation and Q&A, STAR and HB3 segments (first look): SEG 055–SEG 595; HB3 early literacy and numeracy and third‑grade reading summary: SEG 961–SEG 1266.
