Georgetown Edition | July 2025

Education

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Georgetown ISD students performed below the state in all but three subjects and grade levels on the 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, according to results released June 17. In those three categories, the district and state had the same percentage of passing students. Still, the district saw some gains in reading and math scores compared to 2024. The STAAR is administered to third through 12th grade students each spring to measure student progress and teacher performance. Students receive STAAR scores of “did not meet grade level,” “approaches grade level,” “meets grade level” or “masters grade level” for each subject. Students who approach their grade level and above have passed the test, while students who meet their grade level and above are considered procient. Local STAAR scores trail state

A closer look

Zooming in

Passing scores, 2024 vs. 2025 This data shows the change in the percent of students who approached grade level—which is considered passing—year over year. Georgetown ISD Statewide

Each school year, the Texas Education Agency uses STAAR scores and other student data to rate districts and campuses from AF on student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps for certain student populations. Cooper Elementary and Wagner Middle School have received multiple consecutive F ratings following the release of 2023 scores in April. This has required GISD to create turnaround plans to improve performance at these campuses. Performance on the 2025 STAAR was lowest in fth grade science for Cooper Elementary and seventh grade math for Wagner Middle School.

-10

-8

-6 -4

-2

+8 +10

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

What they’re saying

Score snapshot

“There is much to be proud of, but we are not yet where we want to be. We must improve math performance by ensuring that student work is appropriately challenging. We must continue

5th grade

Highest GISD scores U.S. history: 93% approaching grade level Biology: 91% approaching grade level

8th grade

to ensure that every student is reading at or above grade level.” DEVIN PADAVIL, GISD SUPERINTENDENT

Lowest GISD scores Fifth grade science: 51% approaching grade level Seventh grade math: 51% approaching grade level

Algebra I Biology English I

English II U.S. History

NOTE: STAAR SPANISH SCORES NOT LISTED SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Zooming out

According to previous Community Impact reporting, experts found that the pandemic highlighted existing issues with math education, including insucient training for teachers and a lack of early intervention for struggling students.

“With [reading and language arts] scores now surpassing prepandemic levels, we are seeing meaningful signs of academic recovery and progress,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a June 17 news release. “While this year also saw some improvements in math, clearly more work is needed.” About 43% of Texas students met grade-level standards in math, compared to 50% in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas students saw growth in reading and continued to struggle in math, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Statewide, 54% of students met grade level or above in reading and language arts, according to TEA data. Elementary school students saw the largest gains in reading, while middle school performance remained relatively stable, and high schoolers saw modest declines.

GEORGETOWN EDITION