Longview Independent School District saw gains across multiple categories in its latest Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR).
For the 2018-2019 school year, the district scored a 'B' in its accountability ratings with nine schools receiving a total of 40 distinctions, the highest in the area.
Latitia Wilson, LISD Director of Research, Planning, and Accountability, said preliminary accountability ratings were discussed in late summer 2019, but the TAPR report represents the finalized version of these findings.
“The annual TAPR report includes several pieces of information from the 2018-2019 school year, including academic performance, college, career and military readiness information and school and district profiles,” Wilson said.
Presenting the TAPR report to the LISD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting Monday, Feb. 10th, Wilson explained that the TAPR report 'gives an overview based on several criteria including student performance on the annual STAAR test.'
'Our campuses showed considerable progress in a host of measures, according to the Texas Education Agency's report,' she said.
Longview ISD met or exceeded grade levels on par with the rest of the state in Reading, Mathematics, Writing, and Social Studies, narrowly trailing state levels in Science (LISD: 53 percent, Texas: 54 percent), but leading the region in every measure by a broad margin.
The district also led state and regional averages in attendance (LISD: 96.6 percent, State: 95.4 percent, Region: 95.7 percent), the dropout rate from grades 9th through 12th (LISD: 0.6 percent, State: 1.9 percent, Region: 0.9 percent), and average SAT scores (LISD: 1046, State: 1036).
LISD is also well above the state average in the number of teachers with 20-plus years of experience (LISD: 23.1 percent, State: 15.7 percent).
Wilson cited a number of programs currently underway at various LISD campuses as ways the district has improved its standing in prevention and intervention curricula.
'These include, but are not limited to Forever Friends, Young Gentlemen, Thrive360, Communities in Schools, Girl Power, Circle Up, CrimeStoppers, Partners in Prevention, Eagle Leadership, Capturing Kids’ Hearts, Girls with Pearls, and of course the Just Keep Livin' program at Longview High created in partnership with alumnus Matthew McConaughey.'
But despite the numerous gains and achievements, Wilson maintained 'there is always room for improvement.'
“Our teachers and campus leaders continue to set very high goals for themselves, their campuses, and their students, and they continue to work hard to meet those goals,” she said. 'The LISD department of Curriculum and Instruction will also continue to provide every support and assistance we can in order to help our students be the best they can be.'
Additional information regarding the annual TAPR report for Longview ISD can be found on the district’s website, and Mrs. Latitia Wilson's presentation can be downloaded here.
