The latest round of Texas public schools test scores was released last week by the Texas Education Agency.

The results were mostly positive for Mineola and Quitman, while Alba-Golden had a few areas of concern.

The STAAR (State Assessment of Academic Readiness) test results from spring for grades 3-8 along with the end-of-course exams for five high school courses showed Mineola ISD students topped the state and regional averages in every category, according to the primary measure of “approaches grade level.”

It includes all students who mastered or met grade level. Approaches is defined as with tutoring and other support, a student is on pace to reach grade level in the next year.

MISD students surpassed state and regional averages on all tests while Quitman students missed in only one category, fifth grade science.

Some 59% of Quitman fifth graders approached, met or mastered the topic while the region average was 63% and the state average was 64%.

The state and regional averages are largely in line with each other, usually varying from 1-2%.

The STAAR test results include reading and math in grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8 and social studies in 8th grade.

The end-of-course exams are for algebra I, biology, English I and II and US history.

The STAAR test was redesigned for 2023 to more closely align with classroom instruction, so comparisons to last year’s scores are not equal comparisons.

Of the 15 STAAR tests, Mineola students showed improvement over last year in seven categories, scored the same in two and were down in six.

Quitman students showed higher scores in 11 categories, lower in three and the same in one.

Alba-Golden students scored gains in five tests, lower in nine and the same in one.

AGISD pupils were below the state average in eight areas and behind the region in six.

On the five end-of-course exams, Mineola students scored better than last year in all five areas, Quitman students scored better in four with a one-point drop for algebra I, and Alba-Golden high school students showed gains in four areas with U.S. history not reported.

The three high schools beat state and regional averages in every category.

Among the best scores were the biology and U.S history results.

Mineola students had 98% in both tests, Quitman 94 and 98 and Alba-Golden 97 in biology, with no history results, although they were at 95% last year.

U.S. history also had the highest scores in the state and the region (95%). Biology was second at 89% in each.

Mineola’s lowest scores were in 4th grade math at 73% (same as last year) and social studies at 74%, down 9%. The state averages are 70 and 60 and the region 68 and 57, respectively.

Quitman also had two of its three lowest scores in those areas, at 78% and 71% respectively, but did have a 10% gain over last year’s social studies score.

Alba-Golden had two areas with only 48%, 5th grade science which dropped 7% and 8th grade social studies that fell by 14%.

Social studies is also the subject with the lowest scores statewide at 60% and for the region at 57%.

Parents have been notified that they can access their students’ results online.

The scores are a part of the state accountability rating system.