By Jenny Angelo
Beaumont, Texas, is part of who I am. My family has lived here since the 1800s, when the region focused on cattle ranching and rice milling, and we witnessed the transformative Spindletop oil discovery—the first major oil field and one of the most significant events in American energy history. Today our community includes major employers and institutions such as ExxonMobil, Lamar University, and Lamar Institute of Technology. At Beaumont ISD, our mission is to prepare students to seize these local opportunities through focused academic and social support.
Beaumont ISD serves more than 18,000 students, and approximately 80 percent are coded as economically disadvantaged. Our student population is diverse and highly mobile; many students move between schools during the year because of changing family circumstances. These challenges affect instructional continuity and learning outcomes. To address them, we combine rigorous data-driven instruction with intentional social-emotional learning (SEL) to support both achievement and student well-being.
Data-Driven Instruction
Accountability in Texas is closely tied to STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) results, so aligning instruction and assessment with state standards is essential. However, a single data point does not tell the whole story. To create a full picture of student progress, we rely on multiple, valid, and reliable sources of data that inform instruction and intervention.
Beginning in the 2015–2016 school year, Beaumont ISD adopted Renaissance Star Assessments districtwide. We screen all kindergarten through eighth-grade students in reading, math, or early literacy at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year. Students receiving intensive support (Tier III) are progress-monitored more frequently to measure growth and adjust instruction quickly.
Screening data guide student placement, the design of small-group tutorials, and differentiated classroom instruction. To make data work in practice, we implemented a scripted data-driven instruction (DDI) protocol to structure conversations in our professional learning communities (PLCs). Campus leaders and teachers meet by grade and subject to analyze assessment results, discuss patterns, and pinpoint where students succeeded or struggled.
During these DDI meetings we investigate the why behind gaps in learning. Teams script corrective actions, specifying who will implement targeted lessons, what instructional strategies and probing questions will be used, which resources are required, and concrete timelines for completion. This removes ambiguity and prevents postponing intervention until the next test window. Every meeting concludes with a clear plan and assigned responsibilities.
We also require one-on-one goal-setting conferences between teachers and every student in grades two through eight at least once per grading period. To support independent reading and monitor progress, our district reading program uses Accelerated Reader. That program helps students choose appropriately leveled books, track their reading, and develop a growth mindset toward literacy.
To boost engagement and build a culture of reading, we run district-wide Read-A-Thons several times a year. We use assessment data to report campus progress, which fosters friendly competition. At the conclusion of each event, elementary and middle schools recognize top readers by naming a King and Queen of Reading for each grade cluster. Campuses receive banners for recognition, business partners donate prizes, and students receive books to expand their home libraries. These efforts have led to substantial increases in independent reading across our schools.
Another key practice is student ownership of learning through personal data tracking. We provide data folders where students graph progress in reading, math, and writing every one to two weeks. When students visually track their achievements, they more readily identify areas for improvement. This practice increases engagement and accountability and cultivates self-directed learners.
Social-Emotional Learning
Improving achievement requires more than assessment and instruction; it also requires strong relationships. When students experience emotional stability and supportive relationships with teachers and peers, they are better able to focus, engage, and respond to instruction.
In a high-poverty district like ours, attendance and parent involvement present ongoing challenges. Behavioral and emotional barriers can also limit students’ readiness to learn. To address these factors, we implemented the Sanford Harmony social-emotional learning curriculum in every K–5 classroom.
Each day, students participate in SEL time that models positive practices and reinforces their personal goals. Teachers create a reflective, nonthreatening atmosphere where students learn to ask questions such as, “What could I do differently? What led to this outcome, and how can I improve next time?” Sanford Harmony activities strengthen student-to-student and student-to-teacher relationships and promote a classroom culture conducive to learning.
Even our youngest learners set SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely—and learn to take responsibility for them. Owning goals, rather than having them imposed, builds motivation and a sense of agency that supports both social and academic growth.
Many of our students face significant hardships: unstable family situations, caretaking responsibilities for younger siblings, and experiences with neglect or abuse. Serving this community is a privilege. The Beaumont ISD team works collaboratively to improve each child’s circumstances and to expand access to educational opportunities that can help break cycles of poverty.
About the Author
Jenny Angelo is the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Beaumont ISD. She has spent decades in the district as a classroom teacher and instructional coach and was born and raised in the Beaumont community. Contact: [email protected]
This article was originally published by The Learning Counsel, a research institute and news media organization focused on the transition to digital curriculum and instructional models.