Dallas ISD’s Spruce and Samuell High Schools improve TAKS scores

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — After four years of posting academically unacceptable test scores and facing possible closure, H. Grady Spruce High School and W. W. Samuell High School scored significant gains on this year’s administration of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.

The accountability ratings for both Spruce and Samuell will not be official until the Texas Education Agency analyzes results. The data, however, indicates that Spruce will be rated Academically Acceptable based upon absolute performance. Samuell is expected to be rated Academically Acceptable when the required growth indicators are factored into its results.

Spruce High School underwent a massive restructuring prior to this school year with the naming of a new principal and the transfer of all of its 10th and 11th grade students to Madison and Lincoln High Schools. This school year, Spruce had only 9th and 12th grade students.

Samuell High School continued to serve students in grades 9-12 during the 2008-09 school year. Just a couple weeks prior to the beginning of school, Israel Cordero was named as the school’s principal because the previous principal took a position in another school district.

In addition, the majority of the district’s 12 multi-year academically unacceptable schools scored high enough to be removed from the list, with as many as eight schools reaching acceptable levels. There will, however, likely be some campuses named academically unacceptable for the first time.

Other preliminary data indicates that 9th grade students scored a double digit gain in the percentage of students passing the mathematics exam. Gains were made in all subject areas and student groups.

Source: DISD