Texas STAAR scores: Dallas, DeSoto ISDs stand out among districts, experts say

Texas STAAR testing results show students are now above pre-pandemic levels for reading and language arts, but still have work to do in math.

The data from the Texas Education Agency shows that reading scores improved across every grade level, with the largest improvements in fifth grade. That grade was in kindergarten, learning to read when the pandemic shut down schools.

Experts say Dallas and DeSoto ISD are the success stories of this year.

Spring 2025 STAAR results: Reading scores surpass pre-pandemic levels

STAAR test scores

By the numbers:

Now, 54 percent of students meet or master grade-level expectations in reading-language Arts testing.

That's up from 47 percent before the pandemic.

In math, student success is still below what it was before the pandemic.

In 2019, 50 percent of students met or mastered grade-level expectations.

That plummeted to 35 percent in 2021.

In 2025, there was growth, but still only 43 percent of students met or mastered grade-level material.

You can read a detailed statewide summary below.

You can visit your school district's family portal at TexasAssessment.gov.

What they're saying:

"House Bill 2 did a lot of things to help in this area. One particularly is encouraging educators to participate in math achievement academies, which are similar to something called reading academies that were put in place in 2019. And now we see, are generating results," said Miguel Solis, president of the Commit Partnership. 

The Commit Partnership says the growth in the earliest grades comes after several years of increased state investment in pre-K for 3 and 4-year-olds.

This year's third graders are the first served by reading academies with teachers focused nohow kids acquire reading skills.

Dallas ISD STAAR score increases

Dallas ISD students saw big improvements in their STAAR scores.

About 47 percent of Dallas third graders hit grade-level expectations in reading in the English version of the test.

What they're saying:

"Dallas ISD had the highest growth across all grades and subjects, with an additional 4% of students meeting state standards across all grades and subjects. Dallas ISD gets results like that because they've done something like high-quality instructional materials being implemented across their entire system. More kids are in high quality Pre-K," said Solis.

DeSoto ISD STAAR score increases

DeSoto ISD saw a 12 percent gain in third grade reading and 16 percent in third grade math.

District officials say listening to teachers and parents contributed to their success.

What they're saying:

"We have had the opportunity to create focus groups where teachers come in, and they share what is it that they need to be successful. And through those conversations and dialogue, we've been able to take that feedback and really elevate that so that we can incorporate new ideas," said Stephanie McCloud, Chief Academic Officer for DeSoto ISD.

EducationDallasDeSoto