Dallas ISD STAAR Scores Show Mostly Increases from 2022

Dallas ISD students grades 3-8 have shown gains in most STAAR categories from spring 2022 to spring 2023.

Results were recently released across the state. The 2023 test was redesigned to only be offered online with a few exceptions and to include more open-ended questions.

“Everyone anticipated big drops in scores before of the STAAR test redesign,” Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said. “That didn’t happen in Dallas ISD. The students whose early education started during, or was interrupted by the pandemic, are now at or above pre-pandemic levels in most categories.”

Forty-seven percent of third graders met grade level in reading, 2 percentage points higher than last year’s 45%. In math, 41% met grade level, 3 percentage points more than 38% in 2022.

Fourth graders saw a decrease in reading scores, as 42% met grade level this year, compared to 48% last year. In math, however, there was an increase for fourth graders, with 46% in 2023 and 37% in 2022.

For fifth grade, 52% met grade level this year versus 54% last year in reading. In math, 50% met grade level this year and 47% did last year. In science, there was a 4 percentage point decrease from 33% in 2022 to 29% in 2023.

Sixth graders saw an increase in both reading and math. They went from 33% meeting grade level last year to 44% this year in reading and from 31% last year to 36% this year in math.

Forty-four percent of seventh graders met grade level in 2023 compared to 45% in 2022 in reading. In math, 14% met grade level this year versus 8% in 2022.

Eighth graders, who have four STAAR tests, saw three increases and one that remained stagnant. Forty-eight percent met grade level in reading in 2022 and 2023. In math, 40% met grade level this year but 36% did last year. In science, 34% met grade level in 2023 and 29% did in 2022. Twenty-four percent of eighth graders met grade level in social studies compared to 2022’s 19%.