100% STAAR Pass Rate in Aldine ISD Algebra 1 Pilot Program

“The STAAR redesign increases the level of rigor,” reiterates Ms. Rodriguez. “There’s no hack or trick to it, so we need our kids to be able to think for themselves, problem-solve and persevere. To do that on the test, they must do it in class. The Texas Math Solution gives them that opportunity.”

Samuel Ramirez, Math Instructional Specialist at Aldine Ninth Grade School, agrees. “We needed rigor. Having the kids think, create, and look at math through a real-world lens is vital. The Texas Math Solution puts all of those things together and allows students to take ownership of their learning.”

And the naturally rigorous yet real-world-focused and collaborative nature of the Texas Math Solution has changed what Aldine classrooms look like.

“I see more student-to-student interactions and discourse,” shares Dr. Divina Browne, Program Director of High School Mathematics. “Because students are invited to notice, wonder, and make comparisons, they’re becoming more confident. So instead of the teacher producing all of the knowledge and telling students what they need to know, the students get to produce their own knowledge.”

Mr. Ramirez sees this increase in student-centered instruction in the classrooms of Aldine Ninth. “Our classrooms have changed from ‘I Do, We Do, You Do.’ Now we have open-ended bell-to-bell discussions about math,” he states.

STAAR Scores Skyrocket Districtwide

The increase in rigor, alignment, and student-centered instruction has led to higher STAAR results across Aldine’s campuses.

Pilot Algebra 1 Program Sees 100% STAAR Passage

At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, their second year of implementation, Aldine Ninth launched a pilot program to address the needs of 22 incoming Algebra 1 students who were chosen based on low 8th grade STAAR scores.

Mr. Ramirez explains the pilot program: “They were in Algebra 1 every day for 90 minutes during the first semester.”

“This gave them two opportunities to take the Algebra 1 STAAR: once in December and then, if they failed, again in the Spring,” continues Ms. Everson.

This in-depth and dedicated time to learning, combined with the high-quality instructional materials of the Texas Math Solution, produced exactly the results Aldine Ninth was hoping for.

“The kids blew our expectations out of the water!” enthuses Ms. Everson. “They ALL passed the Algebra 1 STAAR in December. One hundred percent of the students in the first-semester pilot group passed the Algebra 1 STAAR on their first try.”

STAAR Interim Scores Increase 27% Districtwide

Aldine’s success with the Texas Math Solution hasn’t just been limited to the Algebra 1 pilot program at Aldine Ninth. 

To ensure they were making the best curriculum decision for their students, Aldine partnered with TNTP, a national nonprofit organization with a mission of ensuring equal access to education for all students. TNTP observed Aldine’s math classrooms and collected and interpreted data about Fall STAAR interim scores.

TNTP found that in classrooms where teachers were implementing the Texas Math Solution with fidelity, students showed high levels of ownership over their learning. Classrooms with high levels of student ownership scored, on average, 27% higher on the fall STAAR interim assessment than counterpart classrooms with lower levels of student ownership.

Students From All Backgrounds Are High Achievers

The district is also excited about the change in mindset they’re seeing wash over their teachers and students.

Aldine is a district where 91.6% of students face economic disadvantages and 33.31% of students utilize bilingual education or ESL services—descriptors that many might think indicate lower levels of ability or achievement.

“We’re looking to say, ‘Forget all that,’” Ms. Rodriguez states. “Kids are kids, and they can achieve at high levels if we believe they can.”

Dr. Browne continues, “We want our students to see that math is accessible to everyone. Any student, no matter their skill level, should be able to access the learning experiences. The Texas Math Solution lets us do that.”

With built-in ESL supports and differentiation techniques for every lesson, Aldine students are thriving, and teachers have the resources to make that possible. “Teachers can differentiate for every student,” states Ms. Rodriguez. “No matter what kind of label they may or may not have.”

Mr. Ramirez agrees. “This has been a huge opportunity for our students to experience academic success that many of them aren’t used to experiencing.”

Aldine Looks Forward to the Future

The students and teachers of Aldine ISD have already accomplished so much in their partnership with Carnegie Learning and the Texas Math Solution, so what’s next?

Of course, they’re excited to see more STAAR score gains. But, more importantly, they’re looking forward to seeing confident students who are breaking barriers in the real world.

As Mr. Ramirez says, “I’m excited for our students to say, ‘Wow, I have an opportunity to do something amazing. I have an opportunity not just to pass the STAAR test, but I’m going to go to college. I’m going to be able to do things that I didn’t even know I was capable of.’ We’re giving them that confidence with Carnegie Learning.”