The STAAR reading assessment was introduced in 2012. Between 2012 and 2019, third-grade reading in Bexar County schools remained relatively flat. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, testing did not occur in the 2019-2020 school year, but returned in the 2020-2021 school year, showing a marked decline—14%—from 2019. The 2021-2022 numbers are back to pre-pandemic numbers, yet still more than 10 percentage points away from the 2030 goal.
Third grade reading is considered fundamental to student success because in fourth grade students shift from learning to read to reading to learn. Education experts and partners who helped inform this measure agree that third grade reading is critical and reliable data to assess third grading remains challenging. Additionally, discrepancies by race in student outcomes persist with 86.0% of white students at or "Approaches Grade Level" or "Above" in Third-Grade Reading compared to 67.7% of Black students and 68.5% hispanic students.
SA2020's data by race requires an understanding of historic and systemic racial inequity. Learn more at SA2020.org/racialequity.
SA2020 uses sex and race identifiers from each source. This means across the indicators you may encounter various ways in which a particular population is identified. SA2020 promotes best practices in collecting demographic data. Review our most recent Recommendations for Collecting Inclusive Demographic Data.
Increase percentage of students at "Approaches Grade Level" or "Above" in third-grade reading to 85% (85% by 2030)
| Year | Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | -- | |
| 2011 | -- | |
| 2012 | 73% | |
| 2013 | 76% | |
| 2014 | 72% | |
| 2015 | 74% | |
| 2016 | 70% | |
| 2017 | 69% | |
| 2018 | 73% | |
| 2019 | 72% | |
| 2021 | 61% | |
| 2022 | 72% |
Students at "Approaches Grade Level" or "Above" in Third-Grade Reading
Texas Education Agency
Bexar County School Districts and Charters
