WISD receives B rating and aims new focus on individuals

Waxahachie ISD received a B rating from the Texas Education Agency for the 2021-2022 school year. The district scored an 85 overall through three different categories: student achievement (86), school progress (85) and closing the gaps (82).

“When it comes to our ratings, we always pay attention to student performance,” Superintendent Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth said. “We always pay attention to our scores, but we also don’t place too much emphasis on them. They’re important, but they don’t tell the whole story of what we’re doing and WISD on a daily basis.”

Hollingsworth believes boiling down a complicated system to one letter grade does not tell the full story. He emphasized how students from WISD are performing at both state and national levels and are accomplishing “amazing things.”

To improve ratings and academic growth, WISD is focusing on individuals.

New to this year, Hollingsworth said they have given teachers time to meet at least once a week with coworkers who are teaching the same grade and subject. During this time, teachers can share both their successes and struggles. They can collaborate to strengthen lesson plans and teaching approaches.

“It allows them to know our students individually, and it allows them to use instructional best practices,” Hollingsworth said. “We’re able to really then build on each other’s strengths. We’re able to learn from one another.”

This year, the district has implemented a Balanced Scorecard system to share goals across the district. Its top goal is “every student grows academically every year.”

Hollingsworth explained how teachers tend to focus on the students who are struggling, which leaves those succeeding without academic growth. With this new goal, he hopes every student will see academic growth.

“Great organizations know what their most important goal is, and that’s our most important goal. It’s all about student growth,” Hollingsworth said. “It’s easy to remember, but it’s not easy to do. It requires us to know where our students are individually … and to grow them all.”

The ratings were the first to be released by the TEA since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. For schools that were rated below a C, they received a “Not Rated” label. WISD saw some improvements in scores despite the effects of the pandemic, Hollingsworth said.

Among the improvements are Finley Junior High School and High School of Choice, a school for students needing a different approach than the traditional setting.

Finley increased its score from a C to a B. High School of Choice was rated through alternative standards and received an A rating after being listed as “Not Rated” in 2019.

The district received two A ratings, five B ratings, eight C ratings and two “Not Rated” labels:

• Dunaway Elementary – C (79)

• Finley Junior High School – B (80)

• Ellis Co JJAEP – Not Rated

• Coleman Junior High School – C (78)

• Felty Elementary – C (78)

• Marvin Elementary – Not Rated

• Simpson Elementary – B (84)

• Northside Elementary – C (70)

• Clift Elementary – C (74)

• Howard Junior High School – B (80)

• Shackelford Elementary – C (71)

• Turner Prekindergarten Academy – C (74)

• Waxahachie Global High School – A (94)

• Waxahachie High School – B (83)

• Waxahachie High School of Choice – A (92)

• Wedgeworth Elementary – C (74)

• Wilemon STEAM Academy – B (85)

Hollingsworth said they were proud of both Global and High School of Choice for their A ratings and want to celebrate them.

Marvin Elementary is a school that has struggled for many years, according to Hollingsworth. This year, it has become Marvin Biomedical Academy in partnership with Baylor Scott and White Medical Center – Waxahachie. The school has added more than 150 kids who chose to attend the new academy.

“We believe that partnership and that transformation will have a really positive impact on the academic performance of a school, to be honest, that has struggled for many years,” Hollingsworth said.

Hollingsworth said they are working with a long-range planning committee for facilities due to the growth the district has seen. He said the plan will be a 10-plus year plan or a 17,000-plus student plan, whichever comes first.

For more information on district and school ratings, visit https://txschools.gov/.

Originally published August 24, 2022 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/education/wisd-receives-b-rating-and-aims-new-focus-on-individuals/article_55263236-2427-11ed-8f44-2f1210efbe77.html