According to the Texas Education Agency's preliminary state accountability ratings released today, 111 of the district's schools have Met Standard-the highest rating available-on the state's accountability system. Last year at this time, 109 of the district's schools had done so.

Under the state accountability system, all Texas public districts, campuses and charters are assigned a label of:

• Met Standard,
• Met Alternative Standard,
• Not Rated;
• or Improvement Required.

To receive a Met Standard or Met Alternative Standard rating in 2015, a campus or district must meet targets set by the state on three of four performance indexes (Index 1 or 2 and both Index 3 and 4). 

The district as a whole exceeded all targets of the state accountability system and is expected to earn a rating of Met Standard this year.

"As we look to a new school year, we continue to work together to make us the best urban school district in the country," AISD Board President Gina Hinojosa said.

Additionally, all Austin ISD high schools received a rating of Met Standard or Met Alternative Education Accountability Standard.

"This shows our new academic programs are paying off. We are excited to know all of our AISD high schools and almost all of our schools overall met TEA's standards this year," AISD Superintendent Paul Cruz said. "While we still have improvements to make, we are proud of our students and staff."

In the first year of operation, both Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy and Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy received ratings of Met Standard. Formerly Pearce and Garcia middle schools, the schools had not met accountability standards for many years prior.

"As a district, we thought big in envisioning new single-gender schools for two of our middle schools, and now that vision is paying off," Cruz said. "These decisions were based on the best interest of students and, with the community's help, they are already seeing successes."

Additionally, four schools that were rated Improvement Required in 2014 met all standards in 2015: Eastside Memorial High School, LBJ Early College High School, Travis High School and Ridgetop Elementary School.

"We're ecstatic about the progress in these schools," said Chief Officer for Teaching and Learning Edmund Oropez. "This is the first time in a long time all of our high schools have met standard."

In 2013, there was a threat of closure for Eastside Memorial High School, which had been reopened in 2008. But TEA allowed the school to follow a turnaround plan.

At LBJ High School, a successful early college high school program helped students earn associate degrees before finishing high school this past year. 

Eight schools will receive a preliminary rating of Improvement Required and 10 schools will receive a label of Not Rated.

This year, Dobie, Martin and Mendez middle schools and Brooke, Govalle, Norman, Rodriguez and Widen elementary schools will receive preliminary ratings of Improvement Required. The district is evaluating the results for all schools to determine if appeals of the Improvement Required ratings are warranted. Ratings are not official until after the appeals window closes and final accountability ratings are released in November. 

To ensure students at the elementary school level are getting the support they need to succeed, every elementary school at AISD will have at least one full-time reading specialist on staff beginning this fall. 

For more information, visit the TEA's website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account.

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AISD is the fifth-largest school district in Texas, serving approximately 85,000 students at 129 schools. Follow AISD on Twitter at @AustinISD or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/austinisd.