Results from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness and End-of-Course (STAAR/EOC) tests which were administered in spring 2024 show that students in the Socorro Independent School District are at the top of the charts among El Paso area school districts.
The TEA results show that SISD led the way in the region with top scores overall. Out of the 20 STAAR/EOC tests, SISD student scores ranked number one in more than half and were second in most of the rest.
Based on the Socorro ISD’s Department of Research and Evaluation calculations using new TEA rating guidelines, the district is expected to get a B rating with an overall score of 83. The preliminary calculations also show that 82% of SISD schools earned A or B ratings with 12 campuses earning an A rating. The A rated campuses are Mission Early College High School, Options High School, Spec. Rafael Hernando III Middle, Col. John O. Ensor Middle, SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle, Montwood Middle, Eastlake Middle, Salvador H. Sanchez Middle, Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary, Loma Verde Elementary, Cactus Trails Elementary, and John Drugan School.
“We are proud of our teachers’ and students’ hard work and success,” said SISD Interim Superintendent James P. Vasquez. “The assessment results show that our students and staff are all in and, despite a challenging year, they continue to lead the way in the region.”
The TEA introduced more rigorous STAAR/EOC assessments in 2023 and a new scale to determine accountability ratings. Due to lawsuits against the new TEA accountability system, official A-F school ratings have not been released.
“Our district data shows that overall our students and teachers have not only persevered but are raising the bar for academic achievement in the area,” Vasquez said.
In comparison to 2023 STAAR/EOC data, SISD student performance increased notably in the meets and masters performance levels in reading and math. SISD saw an 8.4% gain in the meets performance level and an 8.1% gain in the masters level in the Algebra I EOC assessment compared to 2023. In addition, gains were noted in English I (+3%), English II (+5.2%), and Biology (+2.8%) in the meets performance level of the EOC assessments.
Specifically on the Algebra I assessment, the top eight and 15 of the top 18 middle schools with the highest eighth grade scores in the region are from Socorro ISD. The Council on Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development, or CREEED, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving education and educational attainment for all El Paso students, will celebrate the faculty and staff of the top five middle schools with a special ceremony in October. The top five schools are Spec. Rafael Hernando III Middle, Montwood Middle, Col. John O. Ensor Middle, Hurshel Antwine Middle, and SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle.
This is the second consecutive year that all five middle schools recognized in CREEED’s Algebra in Middle School (AIM High) initiative are from SISD.