Benito Martinez Elementary increases TEA ratings after aligning instructional practices

About Benito Martinez Elementary

Fort Hancock ISD

Benito Martinez Elementary is a rural community school of 14 teachers serving 184 students. School leadership included a principal and assistant principal with support from the district assistant superintendent.

In 2019, the last year of a TEA rating before beginning its partnership with E3 Alliance, the school received a “D” accountability rating.

Partnering with E3 Services

Benito Martinez partnered with E3 Alliance in the fall of 2021. Their focus was on Strong Leadership Systems and Data-Driven Instruction.

The E3 team and school leaders worked together to assess needs and developed a plan tailored to their campus. Through the discovery, transformation, and sustainability phases, Benito Martinez leaders and educators refined their current systems and processes through the 2021-2023 school years.

The Challenge

Benito Martinez Elementary needed to close the gap for struggling students.

Teachers and staff worked hard to support students, but the student and campus data did not reflect those efforts.

Top this with the added pressure of preparing a large population of bilingual students for state testing after TEA’s two-year suspension, district and campus leadership decided a new approach was necessary.

Goals:

• Increase teacher capacity.
• Increase consistency in instruction.
• Help teachers feel supported.

The Process

Discovery phase

We conducted a needs assessment with district and school leaders to evaluate their systems.

District and campus leaders participated in virtual and in-person coaching, focusing on their campus leadership systems, instructional practices, and strategies.

Implementation timeline and support part 2

Transformation phase

With E3 guidance, the Benito Martinez leadership team refined their school systems in the fall of 2021.

In-Person Coaching

E3 Alliance provided support with professional learning and leadership tools tailored to the staff’s unique circumstances.

During in-person coaching visits, the Benito Martinez team used the School Leadership Systems Checklist to support the implementation of their plan, evaluate their progress, and develop the next steps. 

“Our teachers have developed a positive rapport with the E3 Alliance team that is built on trust. E3’s education experts support our school leaders through an encouraging and non-judgmental environment in which our teachers feel comfortable having open conversations about their progress and opportunities for growth.”

—Yvonne Samaniego, Associate Superintendent, Fort Hancock ISD

Implementation timeline and support part 3

Sustainability Phase

E3 Alliance and Benito Martinez Elementary staff continue to collaborate to ensure their systems perform under unexpected circumstances and fluctuating student needs.

Districtwide Impacts

In addition to creating systems that work for this campus, Fort Hancock ISD administration began a process to identify their district framework more clearly.

They continue to work on building a community of aligned instructional practices that best serve their district’s unique student population.

The alignment of these strategies builds instructional capacity and a districtwide understanding of Fort Hancock ISD’s priorities.

Positive Impact

• Developed a Campus Instructional Playbook focused on research-based teaching strategies that best supported students.
• This new system outlined prescriptive feedback, allowing teachers to understand specific changes to make and how to make them. 
• Created an empowered environment of continuous improvement.
• Leaders increased their ability to create high-quality instruction for their students.

TEA Results

After the 2022 STAAR testing, Benito Martinez Elementary earned the following:

• An overall rating of a “B”
• An “A” for School Progress
• A “C” for Closing the Gaps
• Distinction for Academic Achievement in English/Language Arts/Reading
• Distinction for Top 25%: Comparative Academic Growth

Educators’ hard work and collaboration with E3 Alliance transformed systems that will impact students and staff for years to come.