By Nancy Whitney

Staff Writer

[email protected]

The STAAR program includes annual assessments for reading, science, writing, social studies and math Wylie ISD administration is pleased with the results of the 2015 testing.

“We are once again celebrating success,” said Ian Halperin, director of community relations and communication. “We are very proud of our campuses for their hard work and great results.”

Testing results in district wide for Wylie ISD were higher than the state percentage of passing in all groups at all age levels grades 3^rd through 8^th.

Reading

Reading tests for 3^rd to 8^th grade students showed progress with district wide gains. Third grade students showed a 92 percent passing rate district wide, with seven schools showing progress over last year’s results. State results showed 77 percent passing.

The 4^th grade district wide scores showed a 92 percent pass rate, state results at 74 percent.

Fifth grade students climbed eight points district wide from an 85 percent pass rate in 2014 to a 93 percent pass rate this year. State results were 15 points lower, 78 percent passing than WISD scores at 93 percent passing.

Grade six reading results district wide were 14 points higher than the state results at 90 percent passing.

Grade seven results saw gains across all three junior high campuses by at least three percent. Wylie ISD results had a 92 percent pass rate while the state was 75 percent.

The 8^th grade district wide reading results dropped from a 93 percent pass rate in 2014 to a 92 percent pass rate this year. However; the scores are still 14 points higher than the states passing percentage rate of 78 percent.

Science

Students in grades 5 and 8 took the science STAAR test. All three intermediate schools showed gains in their fifth grade scores. Davis jumped 13 percentage points from 82 percent to 95 percent passing, Draper went from 86 percent to 91 percent and Harrison from 84 to 85 percent. District wide results for science were at 90 percent, while state was 18 percentage points lower at 72 percent.

Wylie ISD district wide results remained the same as 2014 at 89 percent, while state results were 70 percent pass rate.

Writing

Grades 4 and 7 students took the writing STAAR test. Dodd, Groves, Hartman, Tibbals, Watkins and Whitt Elementary schools showed increases in their writing test scores. District wide results for fourth grade was 89 percent, state results were 70 percent.

All junior high schools showed gains in their scores, McMillan leading the group gaining 11 points over last year’s scores. District wide results were 91 percent passing, versus state results of 72 percent passing.

Social Studies

Junior high 8^th grade students were administered the social studies STAAR. Cooper and McMillan had a 90 percent pass rate. Burnett dropped from 85 percent passing to 83 percent. The district wide percent passing was 88 percent. State results were 24 points lower than Wylie ISD at 64 percent passing.

Math

Math STAAR tests were taken but their scores will not be included in the district’s accountability this year.

During the State of the School address, held May 26, Superintendent David Vinson said the state implemented the most rigorous math standards statewide, probably nationally, that has ever been implemented.

“These new standards sometimes doubled the information students were previously required to learn,” he said.”

The district, along with various other districts, requested the state board not count math STAAR scores this year as part of their accountability. In April, the state suspended accountability for the entire state of Texas.