In a few weeks, students across El Paso County will take the 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests. These tests measure the academic progress of students on a broad range of topics such as math, reading, science, and social studies; and measure whether students are prepared to succeed in the next grade level.
Based on the student’s performance, they will receive a rating in one of four performance levels: Did Not Meet Grade Level standards, Approaches Grade Level Standards, Meets Grade Level Standards, and Masters Grade Level Standards.
While these tests – and ratings – alone don’t tell the entire story of students’ potential and abilities, they are good predictors of their future success, and the outcomes of these tests have a tremendous impact on the opportunities given to students.
For example, students who perform at the Meets and Masters levels become eligible to enroll in dual credit courses, which are college-level courses students can take while in high school. If students successfully pass these courses, they earn college credit that can count towards a degree, increasing their market opportunities and career options.
Research has shown that students who take dual credit courses have higher college enrollment and college completion rates than high school graduates entering college without any dual credits.
That is why we have partnered with school districts across El Paso over the last ten years to support more than 300 teachers to become certified to teach dual credit courses. Our Accelerated Certification of Teachers (ACT) scholarship helps ensure students have access to dual credit courses by increasing the number of teachers who can teach, and support students in dual credit courses.
Consequently, we have seen the benefits here in El Paso.
Nearly 900 students in El Paso graduated from high school in 2024 with enough college credits to earn an associate degree. In 2015, only 300 students had earned enough credits to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. Having a college level degree when they graduate high school makes students more employable and competitive in the job market and broadens the opportunities they will have after high school.
And across the board, we have seen an increase in the number of students who have successfully completed dual credit courses – earning anywhere from 9 hours to 45 hours worth of college hours. Our goal as an organization is to see these numbers continue to increase, so more students can take college-level courses in high school and earn college credits before graduating high school.
For this goal to become a reality, we need to ensure more students are performing at the Meets level on the STAAR exam, and that requires working with school districts across El Paso to offer more rigorous coursework and more support systems for students.
While these tests may bring some anxiety for students, they also open the door to opportunities. That is why we are proud to work with our local schools and school leaders to ensure students not only excel in the STAAR tests but have the opportunity to take college-level courses while in high school.