Nearly half of Celina ISD students fell short of grade-level math standards this year, and the gap between the district's highest- and lowest-performing racial and ethnic groups reached 49 points in math and 33 points in reading, according to preliminary accountability data the Texas Education Agency released Friday, Aug. 14.
The state gave Celina ISD an overall "B" rating for the 2025-26 school year. Prosper ISD earned an "A," placing it in the top 17% of Texas districts.
What the numbers show
Sixty-nine percent of Celina ISD's roughly 5,300 students met or exceeded grade-level reading standards, and 53% met or exceeded math standards, according to Community Impact. But performance split sharply along racial and ethnic lines. The 33-point reading gap and 49-point math gap measure the distance between the district's highest-performing and lowest-performing student groups. The district's student body is primarily white, Asian, Hispanic and African American.
The gaps are wide. The "closing the gaps" domain is one of three criteria TEA uses to calculate a district's overall letter grade.
Celina ISD joins 47% of Texas districts that received a "B" this cycle. About 65% of districts statewide held their rating steady from 2024-25 to 2025-26, while 24% improved.
Prosper ISD at the top
Prosper ISD's "A" puts it among just 17% of districts statewide, per Community Impact. Both local districts outperformed the statewide floor: 85% of rated campuses across Texas earned a C or higher.
How the A-F system works
Texas rates districts on three domains: student achievement (STAAR performance, graduation rates, college and career readiness), school progress (academic growth over time and compared to similar schools) and closing the gaps (whether all student groups are succeeding). The system was created in 2017 by the 85th Texas Legislature.
These ratings are preliminary. Districts have until Sept. 11 to appeal individual scores. Final ratings are due by Dec. 11.
District response
In a statement posted to its website Friday, Celina ISD said it has never been defined by a single letter grade and emphasized its focus on ensuring every student achieves at least one year of academic growth. Neither Superintendent Dr. Tom Maglisceau nor board president Kelly Juergens addressed the equity gap data publicly.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement that the ratings highlight areas where improvement is needed to ensure all students can access a high-quality education.
What's next
Parents can look up individual campus ratings at txschools.gov. The Celina ISD Board of Trustees meets Monday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. at Moore Middle School, 300 E.G.A. Moore Pkwy, Celina.
