Taylor ISD earned a “B” rating along with five high-performance distinctions in the Texas Education Agency’s 2026 Accountability System. The results reflect significant gains in student performance across the district’s STAAR results.

Most notably, Taylor Middle School achieved a 14-point increase in its overall accountability score, while Taylor High School gained 9 points, earning both schools a “B” rating. This demonstrates significant progress in student achievement and growth across the district.

The achievement represents a considerable milestone for a district that has spent the past several years taking a closer look at what students need to succeed and making deliberate changes to instruction, enrichment, intervention, attendance, and college and career readiness.

“We are proud, but not surprised, by the new rating,” said Taylor ISD Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen, Ph.D. “This work has been intentional over the past three years, and each year we have made progress toward this new level of performance. It has taken consistent expectations, ongoing support for students and staff, and a relentless commitment to seeing our students succeed.”

That progress is evident in this year’s STAAR results, which show double-digit gains in several areas.

At Taylor High School and Legacy Early College High School, students saw:

• A 23% increase in students achieving Meets in Algebra I
• A 10% increase in students achieving Meets and Masters in U.S. History

At Taylor Middle School, students saw: 

• A 12% increase in students achieving Masters in Algebra 1 
• A 10% increase in seventh-grade students achieving Masters in reading 

At Naomi Pasemann Elementary and Main Street Elementary, students saw:

• A 15% increase in third-grade students achieving Meets in Reading
• A 10% increase in fifth-grade students achieving Masters in Reading

The district also earned five state distinctions as part of the 2026 accountability results.

Taylor Middle School earned distinctions for:

• Top 25%: Comparative Academic Growth
• Top 25%: Comparative Closing the Gaps

Legacy Early College High School earned distinctions for:

• Academic Achievement in Reading/Language Arts
• Top 25%: Comparative Academic Growth
• Postsecondary Readiness

A Yearslong Journey

While the latest results provide a snapshot of where Taylor ISD is today, district leaders point to a series of changes made over the past three years as the foundation for the progress.

The district has focused on:

• Strengthening College, Career and Military Readiness, which increased to 91%
• Providing high-quality instructional materials and tailored curriculum developed by Taylor ISD teachers
• Regularly monitoring student progress to identify needs and provide targeted academic intervention and enrichment
• Building stronger foundations in reading, writing, and mathematics for student success
• Increasing student attendance so students have more opportunities to learn and grow in the classroom

“Our teachers and campus leaders have worked intentionally to strengthen instruction, use data throughout the year to identify student needs, and provide targeted support where it matters most,” said Chief Academic Officer Megan Zembik. “Seeing that work reflected in our students’ results is incredibly rewarding, and we’re excited to continue building on this progress.”

The work is part of Taylor ISD’s broader 1+ initiative, which challenges the district to go beyond expectations and pursue continuous growth for every student.

For the district’s Board of Trustees, the results represent more than a number on an accountability report.

“These results are a reflection of the hard work happening across Taylor ISD,” said TISD Board President and Master Trustee Marco R. Ortiz. “Our students and staff should be proud of the progress they’ve made, and our community should be proud of the commitment behind it. As a Board, we will continue to support the work needed to build on this momentum and ensure our students have every opportunity to succeed.”

District leaders recognize that an accountability rating is only one measure of student and district performance. The more important story is the growth taking place in classrooms and the systems that are helping make that growth possible.

The progress can be seen across the district, with Legacy Early College High School successfully maintaining its “A” rating, “B” rated campuses making significant gains, and “C” rated campuses maintaining steady performance:

• Legacy ECHS: A (96)
• Taylor High School: B (83)
• Taylor Middle School: B (81)
• Main Street Elementary: C (79)
• Naomi Pasemann Elementary: C (74)
• Overall District Rating: B (80)

“We will continue to set high expectations and invest in the support our students and staff need, using this data to guide our next steps and build on the progress we’ve made,” Garcia-Edwardsen said. “Our goal remains the same: to keep moving forward and ensure every student has the opportunity to grow, succeed and be a 1+.”

Taylor ISD will continue reviewing campus and district-level results throughout the 2026-2027 school year, using the data to build on current gains and identify opportunities for continued academic growth.

For Taylor ISD, the “B” is not the finish line. It is a measure of how far the district has come and a starting point for where it goes next.