Castleberry ISD would like to provide information regarding the recently released 2023 A-F Accountability Ratings.
On April 24, 2025, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the 2023 ratings following a two-year delay caused by a statewide lawsuit. Although labeled “2023,” these ratings reflect performance from the 2022–23 school year. Ratings are now publicly available at TXSchools.gov.
Several major changes impacted ratings across Texas during the 2022–23 school year:
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2023 marked the first year under a new accountability structure
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It was also the first year students took redesigned STAAR tests which added online writing responses for most subjects
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College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) expectations were increased significantly and overall scores were based on students who had already graduated which prevented districts from addressing changes prior to being issued accountability ratings
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Student growth scores declined statewide due to comparing 2022 student STAAR scores to performance on the newly redesigned STAAR test
Because of concerns regarding the validity of the new rating system and STAAR redesign, more than 120 school districts joined a lawsuit challenging the system. This legal action delayed the public release of the ratings until last week.
Castleberry ISD’s overall score for 2023 was a 76.
It’s important to note that TEA is currently prohibited from releasing 2024 ratings due to a separate ongoing lawsuit. However, in September 2024, Castleberry ISD conducted internal calculations—verified by TEA—and self-reported significant improvements for the 2023–24 school year. Official accountability ratings for the 2024–25 school year are expected in August 2025.
The chart below shows the official 2023 ratings for each campus in comparison to the 2024 projections calculated internally by the district, and verified by the Texas Education Agency.
| AV Cato |
76(C) |
85(B) |
+9 |
| Castleberry EL |
75(C) |
79(C) |
+4 |
| Joy James Academy |
79(C) |
78(C) |
-1 |
| Irma Marsh |
79(C) |
81(B) |
+2 |
| Castleberry HS |
75(C) |
84(B) |
+9 |
| Reach HS |
93(A) |
96(A) |
+3 |
| District |
76(C) |
82(B) |
+6 |
Castleberry ISD’s tremendous recent growth in student learning caught the attention of the Texas Commissioner of Education. Superintendent Smith-Faulkner and Executive Director of Educational Leadership Dr. June Ritchlin were invited to present Castleberry’s Accelerated Learning Plan to educational leaders from across the state as a model of success.
The district remains committed to academic excellence, continuous improvement, and transparency.
Community members are welcome to get involved in the District Education Improvement Committee (DEIC). This public meeting provides an opportunity to participate in discussions about planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing, and professional development. The DEIC is composed of parents, business leaders, staff, teachers, and campus administrators, with meetings facilitated by district leadership. The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 28, at the Gary S. Jones Administration Building, beginning at 5:30 PM.