CENTRAL TEXAS — Nearly four years after it faced a shutdown and loss of accreditation by the Texas Education Agency, Marlin ISD is receiving statewide honors as it turns an academic corner.
Marlin ISD is one of two school districts now named a 'demonstration district' by the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators (TABSE).
The district said in a statement it is being recognized for "their achievement of students in at-risk situations" and for its commitment to school improvement.
Marlin Elementary School is also being honored as a 'demonstration school' for its overall improvement in recent years.
In 2019, the district lost its TEA accreditation after failing to meet state standards for nearly a decade. In 2022, however, the district raised its TEA score by 30 points, improving its overall grade to a 'B'.
Marlin ISD superintendent Dr. Darryl Henson is set to give a presentation on improvement strategies used by the district at a TABSE conference in February.
Former elementary principal and current executive director of academics for the district, Niki Edwards, explained the process of turning over a new leaf in the district.
"We came in, we put in some structures and some systems. We loved on and supported our teachers," Edwards said.
"We were very clear with our expectations and our support, and then we just worked toward one goal—which was to advance all of our students from where they were to get better."
