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Waco ISD reports D rating on 2025 TAPR; special education flagged for intervention
Summary
District staff told the board the Texas Academic Performance Report assigned Waco ISD a 2025 rating of D and marked special education as "needs substantial intervention." The presentation reviewed test results, demographics, and attendance trends; trustees asked for follow-up data on turnover and chronic absenteeism.
Jessica Steele, the district presenter, told the board the district's 2025 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) rating was scored as a D and that the district's special education determination status is "needs substantial intervention." Steele said the TAPR compiles academic performance, student demographics and program participation, and growth measures across core content areas.
The presentation noted 13,350 students in membership, with 88.1% identified as economically disadvantaged and 6.7% identified under Section 504. Steele reviewed STAAR-based performance at "approaches," "meets" and "masters" levels and explained how academic growth (RLA and math) is calculated only for students with both prior- and current-year tests. "This year, the 2025 rating is scored as a D," Steele said, and she emphasized that the TAPR uses lag data (for example, graduation indicators comparing class of 2023 to class of 2024).
Trustees asked for clarifications about teacher turnover and chronic absenteeism. Steele said the district reports turnover the same way the state does — including promotions and lateral moves within a district — and offered to return with HR-sourced breakdowns that separate staff promotions from departures. On attendance, Dr. Tiffany Spicer described a tiered tracking system: campus-based PCL staff monitor chronically absent students by name and campuses run outreach, home visits and coordinated interventions. Spicer said the district also coordinates with county judges and court systems on truancy but noted that legal consequences have changed and often do not result in sanctions as they once did.
The board closed the public hearing on the TAPR at 6:51 p.m.; trustees requested additional data showing the share of teacher turnover attributable to people leaving the district versus internal promotions, and a campus-level list of students identified as chronically absent so members can better evaluate targeted interventions.
