Mineola ISD projects district to get an A grade from state

By Phil Major
publisher@wood.cm
Posted 6/23/22

Though the state won’t release public school grades until late July or early August, Mineola schools’ internal assessment shows the district will be awarded an A in the state’s A-F …

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Mineola ISD projects district to get an A grade from state

Posted

Though the state won’t release public school grades until late July or early August, Mineola schools’ internal assessment shows the district will be awarded an A in the state’s A-F system.

The district tracks the measures which make up the state grades, and Superintendent Cody Mize announced at Monday’s board meeting that it looks like Mineola will score a 93 as a district.

“We’re very happy about that,” he said.

The state did not award grades last year following the challenges wrought by the pandemic, although the district’s assessment also showed Mineola would have made an A.

The “very preliminary” assessment also shows each of the district’s campuses earning a B, with the elementary at 86, the middle school at 87 and the high school at 89.

Mize noted the district is being very conservative in its forecast, and those numbers could increase slightly when officially announced.

He explained that the district’s efforts in college, career and military readiness helped bring up the overall grade.

He said the grades are a testament to all the hard work being done at the campuses, in spite of the challenges from the pandemic.

In his report Mize said the district held a needs assessment recently. Last year’s assessment targeted facilities as the district’s top need. That was addressed with the recent passage of a bond issue, and this year among the top needs was a mentor training program for new teachers.

He also noted that new flooring has been installed at the campuses, and the new track and turf project at Meredith Memorial Stadium continues.

In student recognitions, the band students who qualified for the state solo and ensemble contest were recognized. One student, Tristan Cheek, a graduating senior, earned the top honor for outstanding performance as a percussionist.

The high school requested a change in the no pass, no play policy to include a minimum grade of 60 to earn a waiver for a student failing an honors class. Principal Mike Sorenson explained the current policy has no floor, or bottom grade.

The board approved the minimum grade of 60 to qualify for the exemption.

Counselor Melisia Foster said very few students in honors courses receive failing grades.