Texas

College and Career Readiness for All Students

"The higher the standards that are targeted, the clearer it becomes that the only way to take the students to those standards is early intervention and a long-term focus on improving the fundamentals of teaching and learning. Setting lower standards and targeting short-term incremental test score gains, on the other hand, often tempts educators into shortsighted 'quick-fix' practices."

—Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Nancy Smith, National Center for Educational Achievement

Selection Criteria

Comparable schools must meet the following criteria:

  • The percent of low-income students for the school must be greater than or equal to 10% less than the selected school or 90%
  • The percent of limited English proficiency students for the school must be greater than or equal to 10% less than the selected school or 50%
  • The grade size must be at least 40% the size of the grade in the selected school
  • The percent tested in the grade must be greater than or equal to the percent tested in the grade at the selected school or 85%
  • There were at least 10 continuously enrolled tested students in the grade
  • Magnet schools may be compared to any other school, but regular schools will not be compared to magnet schools

A student is flagged as low income if they are eligible for the Free & Reduced Price Lunch program

For middle and high schools:

  • The percent of continuously enrolled tested low-income students for the school must be greater than or equal to 10% less than the selected school or 90%
  • The percent of continuously enrolled tested limited English proficiency students for the school must be greater than or equal to 10% less than the selected school or 50%