BELTON, Texas (KXXV) — Southwest Elementary School in Belton Independent School District must implement a state-mandated turnaround plan after receiving consecutive low ratings. The plan focuses on curriculum improvements and rapid response measures, with the district expressing confidence that it can avoid potential state intervention if the plan fails.
- Poor Performance: Southwest Elementary School in Belton ISD received an "F" rating for 2024-25, following a "D" in 2023-24 and an "F" in 2022-23, prompting the Texas Education Agency to require a turnaround plan.
- Improvement Strategy: The district's turnaround plan focuses on curriculum instruction improvement, rapid response to score dips, and potentially extending school hours to boost student performance.
- State Consequences: If the turnaround plan fails, the state could increase its involvement in the school's decision-making, though district officials say they won't let that happen.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Belton ISD is implementing a state-mandated turnaround plan for Southwest Elementary School after the Texas Education Agency identified the campus as needing significant improvement following years of low ratings.
According to the TEA, the school received an "F" rating for the 2024-25 school year, a "D" in 2023-24 and an "F" for 2022-23, prompting the TEA to require a comprehensive improvement strategy.
"We absolutely acknowledge the need for improvement," said Gabi Nino, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for Belton ISD.
Despite the low ratings, district leaders say the school has shown progress over the past couple of years, noting a 10% increase in overall gains before dipping 2%.
"We do see that one of our challenges was continuing growth, and so we've refined practices to make sure that we're not just looking at achievement levels," Nino said.
The district explained how the state's accountability system works using a hypothetical example: if a student scores 100% on a test one year but drops to 96% the next year, the TEA considers that a "need for improvement."
"There is some shifts in the accountability system works - you do get acknowledged for the growth that students make, and then you need to maintain that growth and continue moving forward," Nino said.
The turnaround plan focuses on overseeing the student experience by improving test scores and implementing rapid response measures if scores decline. The district is also exploring the possibility of extending school hours.
"As well as an intensive focus on curriculum instruction improvement," Nino said.
District officials emphasized they haven't waited for the formal plan to begin improvement efforts.
"We have not been waiting for this plan to be put in place in order to start the improvement efforts," Nino said.
If the turnaround plan fails, the state could increase its involvement in the school's decision-making process. However, Nino expressed confidence in the district's approach.
"We're not going to let that happen," Nino said.
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