The results for the first year of the third through eighth grade State of Texas Assessment Academic Readiness, or STARR test have been released.

Alamo Heights ISD had the best percentages of any city district across the board.

"I will say that while we're pleased with the scores, we've never been a test focused district," said Superintendent Kevin Brown. "We do not teach to the test. We talk about a rich curriculum and profound learning."

Alamo Heights averaged well above the state's averages in all subjects, with the highest advanced satisfactory percentages in all of San Antonio.

"We want to be creative and entrepreneurial, and our criticism of the state wide testing system is that it tends to drive those things out of schools," said Doctor Brown. "With 94 percent of our students going on to college, and knowing that most colleges don't look at the state assessment we just think there's so much more that kids need to know than what they can answer on a bubble in test."

Northeast ISD also finished with above state average scores across the board.

"While we're very pleased that we are above the state average pretty much across the board, we still want to do even better," said Aubrey Chancellor, Spokeswoman with NEISD." Anytime there's a new test that's being implemented you expect the scores are going to be a little bit lower than where you'd like to be, and that's the case here."

NEISD finished with the highest Social Studies Satisfactory Advanced percentages, which could play some role in next school year's curriculum.

"We'll analyze the scores and see what subpopulations and certain groups scored well, and where they may need some more improvement, and then we'll make adjustments for that," said Chancellor.

By: Marissa A. Wagner
Thursday, February 21, 2013
7:00 p.m.