Today the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the 2022 state accountability ratings for school districts and charter schools throughout the state, which included scaled scores and the first A-F ratings assigned since before the pandemic.

Like 2019, the district as a whole and all campuses received As for their overall letter ratings. The district received A ratings in all areas evaluated, with an overall scaled score of 97, and the Postsecondary Readiness Distinction Designation, the only one available at the district level. STISD has received this designation every year since it became available, a total of seven times.  

All STISD campuses also received A ratings, and three campuses received all distinction designations for which they were eligible – South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy in Edinburg, South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy in San Benito, and South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes.

The current state accountability system “grades” campuses and districts on performance within three different domains: Student Achievement (All Students), School Progress (All Students), and Closing the Gaps (All Students and Disaggregated Student Groups). Based upon performance within the different domains, campuses and districts receive a raw score, which is then converted into a Scaled Score and eventually a letter grade (A-F). In addition to the score, campuses also have an opportunity to earn separate Distinction Designations, including those in ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Postsecondary Readiness, and Comparative Closing the Gaps. Districts are only eligible to receive the Postsecondary Readiness Distinction.

No A–F ratings, domain scaled scores, or overall scaled scores were assigned over the last two years, and all districts and campuses were labeled “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster” due to the pandemic.

STISD is comprised of four magnet high schools – South Texas ISD Health Professions in Mercedes, South Texas ISD Medical Professions in Olmito, South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes, and South Texas ISD World Scholars in Edinburg – as well as two middle schools – South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy in Edinburg and South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy in San Benito, and one stand-alone virtual campus, South Texas ISD Virtual Academy, which, now in its second year, currently serves students in grades 6-10 and will eventually serve students in grades 6-12. All campuses are tuition-free and serve students from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties. For more information, call 1-800-21STUDY or visit www.stisd.net.

Press release from Region One Education Service Center:

Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Superintendent of South Texas Independent School District, has been selected as the Region One 2022 Regional Superintendent of the Year. As a regional winner, Dr. Lara will represent the Region One area in the statewide Superintendent of the Year Award Program. Under the direction of the Texas Association of School Boards, the Superintendent of the Year Program recognizes exemplary superintendents for excellence and achievement in educational leadership.

Dr. Lara has served the South Texas ISD community for the past four years and in that time, according to Douglas E. Buchanan, President of the South Texas ISD Board of Directors, change has been a constant and positive force at STISD. Those changes led by Dr. Lara included a rebranding of the district in 2019, establishing a new image for STISD of “Always Innovating,” a refocusing of the school campuses offering more opportunities for students, the addition of athletics programs for all campuses, and the  implementation of a Flexible Learning Plan to support student learning during the district’s most challenging time, COVID-19. The nomination essay, submitted on behalf of the STISD Board of Directors, described Dr. Lara as “steadfast and committed to doing what is best for the students.”

“The South Texas ISD community should be extremely proud of Dr. Lara for receiving this honor; it is recognition not only for Dr. Lara as the district’s educational leader but for the South Texas ISD community, as well,” says Region One ESC Executive Director, Dr. Daniel P. King. “Dr. Lara is a model educational leader who is worthy of this recognition. We are proud to have him represent our region in the State Superintendent of the Year program.”

Nominations for the regional award were submitted to Region One Education Service Center and reviewed by a select committee consisting of Region One School Board members who completed Leadership TASB training. Candidates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality in their districts, and commitment to public involvement in education.

Superintendents from any of the state’s 1,024 local school districts are eligible for nomination by their school boards. The State Superintendent of the Year Committee will select five state finalists from the nominations submitted by regional education service centers and the Superintendent of the Year will be announced during the annual joint convention of the Texas Association of School Boards and Texas Association of School Administrators on September 23-25, 2022.

Region One Education Service Center (www.esc1.net) serves over 438,000 students and educators in seven counties in South Texas including Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata counties. Region One works to assist school districts in improving student performance, assist districts to operate more efficiently and economically, and implement initiatives assigned by the legislature or the Commissioner of Education.

In preparation for the 2022-2023 school year and to allow families ample time to plan ahead and get needed items, STISD has published its 2022-2023 Dress Code + Backpack Guidelines. These guidelines are available in English and Spanish within the Back-to-School Resources section of the Parent Hub.

The 2022-2023 School year Calendar and A/B version of the calendar are also available in the same place. Additional resources will be added here as they are finalized this summer.

The Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) Homeowner Assistance and Reimbursement Programs (HARP) is seeking additional applications in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley for residents of Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties with home repairs or full reconstruction, as well as repayment of eligible out-of-pocket repair costs up to $50,000. The program opened a year ago and there is still funding available in these counties.

Dalia and Miguel Rodriguez of San Benito received a fully reconstructed home through GLO’s HARP. Flood waters came up through the floor and caused so much damage the home was unstable. “These keys can actually be made of gold because this is the most beautiful thing that we’ve gotten ever in our life and it is a blessing, said Dalia. “It has given us an opportunity to start new. It is the best gift anyone could ever get.” See their story here.

The GLO allocated more than $66 million of Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for damage caused by severe storms and flooding in 2018 and 2019. The funds can be used for repair or reconstruction of owner-occupied single-family homes and reimbursement up to $50,000 for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred for reconstruction, rehabilitation, or mitigation. Repayment of SBA loans is also eligible for reimbursement.

A single application can be submitted for reimbursement and repair assistance. An application must be submitted along with required documents for consideration. HARP is a first-come, first-served basis and all homeowners are encouraged to apply immediately. HARP is only available for a main home (primary residence). GLO expects that funds will run out by the end of the summer so the time to apply is now.

Potential applicants should review the Homeowner Assistance and Reimbursement Programs Checklist to have all applicable documents ready prior to applying. Interested homeowners should visit recovery.texas.gov/harp to apply online or download a printable version of the application. Potential applicants can also find in-person assistance at regional Homeowner Assistance and Reimbursement Programs offices serving their area. For assistance, interested participants can email cdr@recovery.texas.gov or call 1-844-893-8937.

General Land Office HARP Program Resources (English):

HARP Overview

HARP Checklist

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Texas GLO Programas de Asistencia y Reembolso para Propietarios en Busca de Solicitudes
Programas de reparación y reembolso de viviendas que ayudan a los propietarios de RGV a reconstruir sus vidas después de los daños causados por las inundaciones de las tormentas en 2018 y 2019
Visite recovery.texas.gov/harp para aplicar

Los Programas de Asistencia y Reembolso para Propietarios (HARP) de la Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) están buscando solicitudes adicionales en el Valle del Río Grande para los residentes de los condados de Cameron, Hidalgo y Willacy con reparaciones en la vivienda o reconstrucción completa, así como reembolso de los costos de reparación de bolsillo elegibles hasta $50,000. El programa abrió hace un año y todavía hay fondos disponibles en estos condados.

Dalia y Miguel Rodríguez de San Benito recibieron una casa completamente reconstruida a través de HARP de GLO. Las aguas de la inundación atravesaron el piso y causaron tanto daño que la casa quedó inestable. “Estas llaves en realidad pueden estar hechas de oro porque es lo más hermoso que hemos recibido en nuestra vida y es una bendición”, dijo Dalia. “Nos ha dado la oportunidad de empezar de nuevo. Es el mejor regalo que alguien podría recibir”. Vea su historia aquí.

El GLO asignó más de $66 millones de fondos de Subvención en Bloque para el Desarrollo Comunitario - Recuperación ante Desastres (CDBG-DR) del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) de Estados Unidos para los daños causados por tormentas severas e inundaciones en 2018 y 2019. Los fondos pueden ser utilizados para la reparación o reconstrucción de viviendas unifamiliares ocupadas por el propietario y reembolso de hasta $50,000 por ciertos gastos de bolsillo incurridos para la reconstrucción, rehabilitación o mitigación. El reembolso de los préstamos de la SBA también es elegible para reembolso.

Se puede presentar una sola solicitud de reembolso y asistencia para la reparación. Se debe presentar una solicitud junto con los documentos requeridos para su consideración. HARP es por orden de llegada y se alienta a todos los propietarios a presentar su solicitud de inmediato. HARP solo está disponible para una casa principal (residencia principal). GLO espera que los fondos se agoten para fines del verano, por lo que ahora es el momento de presentar la solicitud.

Los posibles solicitantes deben revisar la Lista de Verificación de los Programas de Asistencia y Reembolso para Propietarios para tener listos todos los documentos correspondientes antes de presentar la solicitud. Los propietarios interesados deben visitar recovery.texas.gov/harp para presentar su solicitud en línea o descargar una versión imprimible de la solicitud. Los posibles solicitantes también pueden encontrar asistencia en persona en las oficinas regionales de Programas de Asistencia y Reembolso para Propietarios que atienden su área. Para obtener ayuda, los participantes interesados pueden enviar un correo electrónico a cdr@recovery.texas.gov o llamar al 1-844-893-8937 (se habla Español).

General Land Office HARP Program Resources (Spanish):

HARP Overview

HARP Checklist

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The MENTORS Project (Model Education Networks to Optimize Rural Science), in collaboration with STISD Health Professions, STISD Science Academy, and Mercedes ISD, invite the community to attend the 5th Annual Community Health Expo, to be held on Saturday, June 11.

The Expo will be held at the Science Academy Gymnasium, located at 900 Med High Dr. in Mercedes (off of Mile 2 West Rd. and Expressway 83) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

It will offer fun activities and educational booths, including:

• Zumba classes
• South Texas Food Bank
• Kids Zone
• and many more

There will also be free screenings for Asthma, Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Diabetes, as well as free vaccinations available, including those for COVID-19.

Attendees can also learn to prevent and manage:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Asthma

Students from the three local high schools have trained to serve as Health Ambassadors in their communities, and will provide useful and reliable health information (se habla español).

The MENTORS Project is supported by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) grant from the National Institutes of Health. The program provides research internships for students and teachers, health ambassadorships for students, and an annual statewide professional development conference for K-12 educators (K-12 Summer Institute). Additional support for the project is provided by the Texas A&M Center for Environmental Health Research (NIEHS/NIH).