Students, parents, and teachers in the Southside ISD can celebrate after campuses made huge gains on the 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam, according to preliminary ratings. “I don’t know how the other districts performed, but we know we performed very well,” said Superintendent Rolando Ramirez.
This year six Southside schools made 30-point gains or higher. “Normally, you’ll have a superintendent or a principal talking about all kinds of nice things about their students and staff. But these are the results showing it, and the results don’t lie,” Superintendent Ramirez said. He took over Southside ISD in 2020. Administrators say it is only a matter of time before Southside has nationally recognized blue ribbon schools.
Heritage Elementary School will receive a preliminary A-rating while the other seven campuses will be classified as very good B-rated schools in the State’s A through F accountability rankings. “It’s quite an improvement. But it goes back to, if we work hard and do the classroom basics, it pays off and the results show that.” The Superintendent is giving credit to hard-working teachers and students for the turnaround. He says there’s no magic formula to the District’s success, just sheer determination and focus.
Above all, Superintendent Ramirez says this is just the beginning of sustained success. The data proves it and Southside ISD is providing students with a great education, he said. “I am proud of our students and staff and I know the entire community is as well. It’s something to celebrate because their hard work has paid off and I’m happy to see it.”
Superintendent Ramirez said Southside has quality schools and foresees continued strong academic performance in the upcoming years. The State will release its official STAAR results in August with Southside ISD expected to receive a high achieving B-rating.