The recently released State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) data from the Texas Education Agency indicates noteworthy improvement for Dallas County students. The 4th Grade Math indicator, which contributes to showing if Dallas County students are on a postsecondary pace, is the largest gain from 2016 to 2017, raising seven percentage points. Since 2012, all indicators have increased considerably (3rd Grade Reading up five percentage points, 4th Grade Mathup 14 percentage points, 8th Grade Science up 11 percentage points, and Algebra 1 up 11 percentage points).
Overall, 24,000 more Dallas County students are meeting The Partnership’s four STAAR benchmarks today than in 2012. Since 2016, 8,900 more Dallas County students are meeting indicators that show they are on a postsecondary pace (1,241 more students meeting 3rd Grade Reading, 3,957 more students meeting 4th Grade Math, 1,068 more students meeting 8th Grade Science, and 2,590 more students meeting Algebra 1).
While STAAR results cannot be the sole predictor for student success, the significant improvement for Dallas County students is encouraging overall. With more students meeting key academic benchmarks this year, we are one step closer to the state’s 60×30 goal: By 2030, at least 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 will have a certificate or degree.
