Giddings Independent School District (GISD) is committed to transparency and continuous improvement. As part of this commitment, we want to address the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) recent release of accountability ratings from the 2022–2023 school year, in which the District received a "C" rating.
Giddings ISD, like many districts across the state, experienced a decline in its accountability rating compared to 2019, when the district earned an “A” rating. Several key factors contributed to this shift, including a redesign of the STAAR exam, an overhaul of the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) accountability system, lower College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) scores from the prior year, and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Redesign of the STAAR Exam:
In 2023, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) underwent significant changes. The new format includes more rigorous questions, technology-enhanced items, multipart prompts, and required written responses across all grade levels to better assess students' critical thinking skills. While these changes aim to more closely align assessments with classroom instruction, they have also led to lower performance across Texas as students and educators adjust.
Overhaul of the Accountability System:
The TEA also introduced new, more rigorous standards for its A–F accountability ratings. With heightened performance expectations and higher standards for the College, Career, and Military Readiness indicators, schools and districts across the state have faced more challenging benchmarks for success.
Lower College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Scores:
The 2022–2023 accountability ratings included CCMR data from the 2021–2022 school year. During 2021-2022, GISD’s CCMR performance was at 58%, which was well below the newly established state standard. This significantly impacted the district’s overall rating. However, GISD has since implemented a comprehensive plan to address this deficit. Although the accountability system will not reflect the improvements made until the 2024–2025 ratings are released, more than 90% of Giddings ISD graduates in both 2024 and 2025 have met or exceeded the CCMR standard, indicating strong progress.
Lasting Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic:
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact student learning and performance. Many students experienced learning gaps during remote instruction, and the recovery has varied widely. As a result, accountability measures during the 2022–2023 school year were significantly impacted and will continue to be impacted for years to come.
In addition to these factors, the release of the updated accountability ratings was delayed due to legal actions filed by over 120 school districts, raising concerns about the fairness and timing of the new standards. Despite these delays, Giddings ISD had anticipated the potential rating changes and communicated them internally as early as August 2023.
While the decline in ratings reflects a statewide trend during a period of significant transition, Giddings ISD remains focused on ensuring student success. The recent improvements in CCMR demonstrate the effectiveness of our initiatives and our continued commitment to excellence.
Giddings ISD continues to adapt to the evolving educational landscape and remains dedicated to providing an exceptional education for all students.
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