The Kingsville Independent School District’s new superintendent is walking into a school district with lingering academic challenges.
The Kingsville ISD Board of Trustees approved an offer to employ Luz M. Martinez as the district’s new superintendent. Martinez said during the Aug. 18 board meeting that she has familiarized herself with the district and met with teachers and staff to gather information on what needs to be done to “change the story of Kingsville ISD.”
Kingsville ISD has battled low school accountability ratings.
In August, the Texas Education Agency shared 2025 school accountability ratings, which measure school performance during the 2024-25 school year based on an A-F scale. Kingsville ISD earned a 59, an F rating.
That reflects a drop from the 2023-24 school year, when the district earned a 63, which is a D. However, for the 2022-23 school year, the district earned a 59.
“While accountability ratings provide a snapshot of performance, they do not define our students’ potential or the dedication of our staff,” Martinez said during the board meeting.
Martinez said that she and the school board take full responsibility for driving the changes needed to improve teaching, learning and student success. The district is developing robust targeted improvement plans focused on strengthening instruction, increasing student engagement and providing intensive support, she said.
“Our students deserve better, and we are committed to delivering better for them,” Martinez said.
Kingsville ISD was involved with the lawsuits against the Texas Education Agency that delayed the release of the ratings from the last three school years. The ratings for the last two school years were both released this month, while the 2022-23 ratings were released in the spring. Typically, ratings would be released at the start of the next school year.
The state overhauled the school accountability system ahead of the 2022-23 ratings release, resulting in lower ratings for many schools, including in Kingsville ISD.
In 2021-22, under the old accountability system, Kingsville ISD earned a passing C grade of 78. It has not yet found its footing under the current system. Had the current system been used in 2021-22, the district would have earned a 68.
In 2020 and 2021, the state did not release ratings due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of education.
For the 2019-20 and 2018-19 school years, the district earned C’s — wins compared to the district’s F rating in 2018-17.
Repeated failing ratings for a school indicate that it isn’t meeting state standards for student performance on standardized tests, graduation rates, and college and career readiness measures.
H.M. King High School and Harrel Elementary School both earned D ratings for 2024-25. Gillett Middle School, Harvey Elementary School and Perez Elementary School each earned F ratings.
Compared to the previous year, each of the Kingsville ISD campuses received a lower rating except for Harrel Elementary School, which actually improved from an F to a D.
“We are going to work hard, we are going to work smart and we are going to focus on always doing what is in the best interests of students,” Martinez said.
An F rating indicates unacceptable performance. A D rating reflects performance that needs improvement. A C rating indicates acceptable performance.
If a Texas public school district, or any campus within a school district, has an unacceptable performance rating for five consecutive school years, the head of the Texas Education Agency has the authority to appoint a board of managers to govern a school district or to order the closure of a campus.
Within Kingsville ISD, Harvey Elementary School and Gillett Middle School have held F ratings for the longest period of time, three consecutive years. Other campuses have generally fluctuated between F’s and D’s since 2022-23 and the accountability system refresh.
“While we are disappointed in the ’24-’25 rating of an F score of 59 out of 100, we are not discouraged,” Martinez said. “This rating highlights challenges we face and the urgent work ahead.”
Martinez has more than 35 years of experience in K-12 and postsecondary education, including experience specifically working on school turnarounds, she said. One of Martinez’s prior positions was at the West Oso Independent School District from 2011 to 2013.
Martinez told the Caller-Times that her main priority is improving the accountability rating, working with teachers, principals and the community to boost student achievement.
Kingsville ISD has flip-flopped between a four-day and five-day school week calendar over the past several years.
Martinez said that five days in school will help maximize instruction time.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Kingsville ISD welcomes new superintendent, focuses on failing schools
Reporting by Olivia Garrett, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
