Marlin ISD Earns a “B” Rating from the Texas Education Agency

For the first time in over ten years, Marlin Independent School District has met Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability standards. Marlin ISD received a TEA accountability grade of 86 or “B” for the 2021-22 school year, the agency announced today — a 30-point increase from the last score of 56 given to the district in 2019.

Schools in Texas were not rated in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic.

The district also earned a Distinction for Post-Secondary Readiness. 

For students, staff, and community members in Marlin, Texas, passing scores from the state agency that oversees K-12 public education have been a long time coming.

From 2011-2019, Marlin had earned either a grade of F or an Improvement Required rating, and had lost its accreditation status in 2014. The state intervened shortly after, installing a monitor before a Board of Managers and Conservator, to oversee improvement efforts in the district.

Dr. Darryl Henson, with a history of turning around long-struggling schools, was brought on in 2020 as the superintendent to save the district from being shuttered. 

Henson faced an enormous challenge, but made significant strides with his team by bringing a culture of trust and accountability. The culture shift injected a jolt of optimism into the town of Marlin, Texas, and Marlin ISD manifested a massive turnaround by demonstrating the most growth of any district in the state of Texas.

“I am overwhelmed with joy by the academic gains made by our students over the past two years,” Henson said. “After a decade of unsatisfactory performance, to finally have the label of Improvement Required or F-Rated removed is a testament to our commitment to excellence. This transformation will go down not only in the history books of Marlin ISD, but in the history of Texas public school education. This is just the beginning, as I know that the best is yet to come for our students and school community.”

Accountability data also showed that every campus met accountability measures, with all three campuses earning passing grades and coveted Distinction Designations. 

- Marlin Elementary School earned a “B” and a Distinction in Closing the Gaps. 

- Marlin Middle School earned a “C” and two Distinctions, one in Science and one in Social Studies. 

- Marlin High School earned a “B” and a Distinction in Post-Secondary Readiness.

“I would like to take this opportunity to address our team of teachers, leaders, and staff who came together to change the narrative of our district and change the trajectory of our students’ lives,” Henson said. “These past two years have been exciting, to say the least, as we simultaneously fostered a culture of excellence while focusing on teaching and learning. Numbers don’t lie and our data confirms that we provided our students with opportunities for growth, innovation, and success.”

Marlin plans to celebrate with an “86” parade on Friday, Sept. 2. Details will be released via the District’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

Texas provides annual academic accountability ratings to its public school districts, charters and schools. The ratings are based on performance on state standardized tests; graduation rates; and college, career, and military readiness outcomes. The ratings examine student achievement, school progress, and whether districts and campuses are closing achievement gaps among various student groups. To learn more, visit TXschools.gov.