School Performance Scores Highlight Opportunities for DISD
Hello Eagle Families and Staff,
Today, the Texas Education Agency released 2023 school performance ratings for districts across the state, along with 2022 ratings that were recalculated using new scoring rules set in 2023. In the spirit of openness and transparency as your new superintendent, I want to both share our ratings and affirm our commitment to positive change, academic growth, and student success.
Previously, these scores were withheld from public release due to a lawsuit filed by 121 Texas districts after the TEA suddenly changed how it calculated scores. Changes were made without prior notice to districts. Among the changes, TEA’s new system:
Increased the rigor of the STAAR test, making it more difficult for students to pass
Revised scoring so that significantly fewer school districts receive favorable ratings
Considerably limited the positive impact of non-STAAR data, such as graduation rates and college, career, and military readiness, on final ratings
Overall, Decatur ISD was rated with a score of 74, which equates to a C letter grade. While this meets state requirements, it does not align with our district goals and the amazing potential for academic excellence that we see in DISD classrooms. We take this feedback seriously and are already taking meaningful steps to re-focus our efforts.
Each school also received a rating (view here). Among our schools, Young Elementary’s score of 90 (A) was a bright spot. This is a fantastic achievement for Young’s staff and students that we want to recognize and celebrate.
What does this mean for our students and our district?
As DISD’s new superintendent, the staff and I are committed to continuous improvement. We have amazing teachers and students who are doing amazing work each and every day.
New leadership inevitably brings change⸺and my hope is to be a catalyst for positive change in Decatur ISD. I wasn’t naive to the challenges when I accepted the opportunity to serve as your superintendent, but as a Decatur graduate, I believe firmly in our potential to shine.
Among the changes, the instructional team and I are discussing ways to strengthen our ability to assess students academically, provide targeted interventions, and to create alignment with curriculum district-wide. We will communicate this information in the coming months as we plan for the 2025-26 school year.
I remain confident in the ability of our students and staff to meet and exceed expectations. Accountability data is only one measure of school quality, and it does not reflect the full range of academic growth, student potential, or the strength of our school culture and community.
Thank you for your continued support. We are committed to keeping our families informed, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you in the future. We have work to do, and I hope you⸺our families, teachers, staff, and community⸺will join me in tackling this challenge together.
Sincerely,
Taylor Williams
Superintendent, Decatur Independent School District