26 Tarrant schools must improve this year

There’s no sugar-coating the numbers.

The Texas Education Agency has rated 22 schools in Fort Worth ISD as “improvement required.”

The Arlington and Crowley school districts also each had two campuses that received the low rating.

The rating is based on several factors: passing rates on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, student progress, closing achievement gaps, and college and career readiness.

TEA reported that 467 schools, or 5.4 percent of the 8,673 in the state, failed to meet accountability standards this year.

It helps to point out that well over 100 Fort Worth campuses met the state standard.

And all Tarrant County districts met the standard for districts as a whole.

Several Fort Worth schools that were on the “improvement required” list last year were able to raise their performance above the bar this year.

Unfortunately, 13 new schools dropped below the state standard this year after reaching it last year.

That shows how difficult it is to get all of a district’s schools to proper performance levels.

Some schools and some students slip down while others are climbing up.

Yet consistent improvement is exactly what Superintendent Kent Scribner signed on to deliver. Scribner joined FWISD last year, moving from Phoenix.

He has reorganized and streamlined his top management team, including moving some personnel out of the administration building to work directly in the most-troubled schools.

“He has his new leadership team in place, and the focus is on what needs to be done,” district spokesman Clint Bond told Star-Telegram reporter Sandra Engelland.

It’s time to see results.

“Improvement required” must become “progress made” at each of the 22 schools in Fort Worth and the two in Arlington and two in Crowley. The new school year begins on Monday.

That’s a tough assignment, but 26 campuses falling short means hundreds of students aren’t learning what they need to learn to be prepared for life.

Each school year is precious for them — there is no time to waste.

Fort Worth ISD teachers and professional staff are scheduled to meet Friday at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center for their annual pre-school convocation.

It’s part pep rally, part thoughtful contemplation of the serious work ahead. Scribner is scheduled to speak.

Teachers and education professionals deserve our support. Our hopes and our kids are depending on them.

This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "26 Tarrant schools must improve this year."