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Dallas County students show steady, incremental gains across grades 3-8 STAAR results

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Growth in both reading and math continues as districts focus on strong instruction and supporting educators

DALLAS, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released STAAR assessment results for grades 3–8 for the 2025–26 school year, providing insight into how students across Texas are developing the foundational skills that serve as the basis for future academic success and economic mobility.

Across Dallas County, students demonstrated continued growth in both reading and math. Since 2025, the percentage of students in grades 3–8 meeting grade level standards increased by 1 percentage point in reading and 2 percentage points in math. Dallas County matched the state in reading growth, while outpacing the state’s 1 percentage point gain in math.

Most sub-populations had growth on par with statewide results. Black students in Dallas County also made notable gains in 3–8 math, with the percentage of students meeting grade level standards increasing by 3 percentage points, outpacing the state’s 2 percentage point growth.

“The results we are seeing in Dallas County reflect the sustained attention districts have given to strengthening core instructional systems,” said Sile Robinson, Chief Regional Impact Officer at The Commit Partnership. “Across Dallas County, school systems have invested in implementing strong instructional practices, recognizing and rewarding effective teachers while equipping them with the support they need to succeed in the classroom, and using data to continuously drive positive student outcomes.”

“While there is still work ahead, these results reinforce an important lesson: student achievement improves when school systems remain focused on what data and research show works for students. The progress we are seeing reflects continued investments in high-quality instruction and the educators who make that instruction possible every day.”

Fourth-grade math emerged as an area of continued progress across Dallas County. Students meeting grade level standards increased by 5 percentage points, with 12 of the county’s 15 largest school systems posting gains over the previous year. These gains were slightly ahead of the statewide increase of 4 percentage points, and they indicate that more Dallas County students are developing the essential math skills needed for future success in the classroom.

Early math achievement plays an important role in shaping students’ future academic opportunities. Students who develop a strong math foundation in the elementary grades are more likely to access advanced math pathways as they enter middle school, including courses such as Algebra I. Research indicates that early participation in Algebra I is associated with higher rates of postsecondary enrollment and persistence, which are ultimately associated with higher lifetime earnings.

Dallas County also saw steady progress in reading achievement across grades 6–8, where the percentage of students meeting grade-level standards increased by 2 percentage points compared to the previous year. These results are meaningful, as many of this year’s middle school students had their learning interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic during the grades when crucial reading skills are typically developed.

Strong reading skills developed in the early grades help students engage with increasingly complex content across every subject as they progress through school. Research has shown that demonstrating proficiency in 3rd grade reading is associated with many critical long-term milestones, including access to college courses in high school, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment.

Additionally, analysis from The Commit Partnership shows how challenging it can be for students to catch-up in reading in later grades: only 29 percent of Dallas County students who did not meet grade level standards in 3rd grade reading went on to meet standards on their English I EOC exam in 2023. While Commit will continue exploring the factors that may be contributing to these gains in later grades, the results offer a promising indicator that students whose reading development was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic are strengthening their literacy skills in middle school.

The results released this month also provide an important benchmark as Texas prepares to implement a new statewide assessment system. As a result of House Bill 8, signed during the 89th Legislative Session, STAAR will be replaced in the 2027-28 school year with the Student Success Tool (SST), a through-year assessment designed to provide more frequent feedback on student growth and performance.

By measuring progress at three separate points during the school year, the SST will equip teachers, families, and school leaders with more timely information about student achievement. That information can help schools identify learning gaps earlier, adjust instruction, and provide additional support to ensure that students’ progress towards meeting grade-level expectations.

Taken together, both the 2025–26 STAAR EOC and 3-8 results point to continued academic progress across Dallas County (pending science results still to be released by TEA). Across all currently reported tested grades and subjects, the percentage of students meeting grade-level standards increased by 3 percentage points, exceeding the state’s growth by 2 percentage points. In total, 11 of the county’s 15 largest school systems improved their performance compared to the previous year.

“Assessment results are most valuable when they are used to inform action and change behaviors,” said Chelsea Jeffery, Chief of Strategy, Insights & Talent at The Commit Partnership. “Beyond measuring student performance, they help educators, leaders, and families understand where opportunity gaps remain and identify which strategies are improving student outcomes. Statewide assessments provide one of the few ways to understand where progress is occurring across schools and districts, ensuring that the investments we make in education benefit all students, not just a select group of campuses or communities.

As Dallas County school systems continue working to increase educational attainment and economic mobility, data help ensure decisions remain grounded in evidence and focused on improving outcomes for students at scale.”

TEA makes statewide assessment data publicly available, and the information is often shared through reports and data files that require time, context, and technical expertise to fully interpret. The Commit Partnership translates that data into accessible insights that can be more easily understood and used to inform decisions that support student success. 

Commit’s 2025–26 STAAR Results Data Dashboard turns complex state data into accessible, visual insights that allow educators, policymakers, funders, and community leaders to compare results across places, student groups, subjects, and years. Commit also provides additional views of the data that are especially relevant to local decision-makers, including county-level trends, regional comparisons, legislative districts, and other groupings that are not always easy to see through state reporting alone. 

To explore the latest Dallas County STAAR results and trends, view our STAAR Results Data Dashboard here:
https://www.commitpartnership.org/insights/data-dashboards/staar-results-dashboard

Commit’s dashboard reporting initial insights of STAAR 3–8 Results for Dallas County can be found here: https://media.commitpartnership.org/share/fAPonGhelNezmR1Dve7y

For more insights from Commit on 2025-26 Grades 3–8 STAAR results, please visit our Latest Learning blog: https://www.commitpartnership.org/insights/latest-learnings/dallas-county-students-show-steady-progress-across-grades-3-8-staar-assessments

Parents and families can also access their student’s individual STAAR results through the Texas Education Agency’s Family Portal here: https://www.texasassessment.gov/index.html

About The Commit Partnership
The Commit Partnership (http://commitpartnership.org/) aims to break the cycle of poverty in Dallas County by examining its numerous root causes and working with others to remove systemic barriers to opportunity for all students. Commit Partnership discovers robust data insights and activates them through trusted relationships to innovate systems and unlock public funding in ways that address the root causes creating current student outcomes. Commit Partnership’s true north goal is that, by 2040, at least half of all 25–34-year-old residents in Dallas County, irrespective of race, will earn a living wage. 

For more information, connect with Commit

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dallas-county-students-show-steady-incremental-gains-across-grades-38-staar-results-302802032.html

SOURCE The Commit Partnership

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Enghouse Announces Finance Leadership Change

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MARKHAM, ON, Aug. 26, 2026 /CNW/ — Enghouse Systems Limited (TSX: ENGH) today announced that Rob Medved, Chief Financial Officer, will be leaving the Company following the release of its third quarter financial results to pursue another professional opportunity.

Mr. Medved has been a valued member of the Enghouse leadership team. During his tenure of approximately 9 years, he has played a key role in supporting the Company’s financial discipline and strengthening Enghouse’s financial organization. The Board of Directors and Enghouse management team thank him for his dedication, professionalism and contributions to the Company. We appreciate the leadership and financial expertise he has brought to Enghouse and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.

In connection with this transition, the Company is pleased to announce that Vinh Lien will be promoted to Vice President, Finance, effective upon Mr. Medved’s departure. Mrs. Lien has been with Enghouse for over ten years and has held several progressively senior finance and accounting roles during her tenure with the Company. In her current role as Corporate Controller, she has been responsible for overseeing global financial and accounting operations.

Mrs. Lien has been an integral member of the Enghouse Global Finance and accounting team with a deep understanding of Enghouse’s financial operations. She has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, sound judgment, and a thorough understanding of the Enghouse business. Her experience and commitment to both financial and operational excellence make her well qualified to assume this role.

The Company expects a seamless transition of responsibilities and does not anticipate any disruption to its operations, financial reporting, or strategic initiatives.

About Enghouse Systems Limited
Enghouse Systems Limited is a Canadian publicly traded company (TSX: ENGH) that provides enterprise software solutions focused on contact centers, video communications, virtual healthcare, telecommunications networks, public safety, and transportation markets. Enghouse employs an acquisition-oriented strategy and operates globally through a network of international subsidiaries.

SOURCE Enghouse Systems Limited

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INTOUCH INSIGHT ANNOUNCES Q2 2026 FINANCIAL RESULTS

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OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 26, 2026 /CNW/ — Intouch Insight Ltd. (TSXV: INX) (OTCQX: INXSF) (“Intouch” or the “Company”), a provider of customer experience measurement solutions, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.

Financial Highlights

Highlights from the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025:

Revenue is 8% higher than the prior year. This increase was due to organic growth in SaaS, merchandising and recurring services revenue.Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 46.7%, compared to 50.4% in the comparative period. This decrease is due to the mix of product sales, coupled with growth of some of our most competitively priced programs.Earnings from operations were $54,361 compared to a loss of $1,021,120 for Q2 2025. The loss in the prior year is due to the impairment of goodwill and intangibles from the loss of a client obtained through acquisition.SaaS revenue increased 18% to $474,999, recurring services revenue increased 6% to $5,879,676, and event marketing automation revenue increased 8% to $572,560.Merchandising revenue was $82,824, compared to nil in the prior year period.Net loss was $43,136, or $0.00 per share basic and diluted, compared to a net loss of $1,112,023, or $0.04 per share basic and diluted, in Q2 2025.Adjusted EBITDA, a non-IFRS measure, was $227,559 compared to $370,812 in Q2 2025; a reconciliation to the most directly comparable IFRS measure is contained in the Company’s MD&A for the period, which is available on SEDAR+ and is incorporated by reference.

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure, which is defined as net earnings (loss) before income taxes, adjusted to exclude finance costs, depreciation and amortization, impairment charges, share-based compensation, investment tax credits, and the change in the fair value of contingent consideration.

Highlights from the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025:

Revenue is 7% higher than the prior year. This increase was due to growth in SaaS, merchandising and recurring services revenue.Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 48.1%, compared to 50.4% in the comparative period. This decrease is due to the product mix.Earnings from operations were $237,896 compared to a loss of $649,769 for 2025. The loss in the prior year is due to the impairment of goodwill and intangibles.Merchandising revenue was $120,291, compared to nil in the prior year period.Net income was $64,169, or $0.00 per share basic and diluted, compared to a net loss of $899,421, or $0.04 per share basic and diluted, in the first half of 2025.

Recent Operational Highlights

Presented the Company’s annual convenience industry study during the main stage general session at the Outlook Leadership Conference, hosted by Informa, and announced the top-performing convenience operator award in partnership with CSP Daily News. This year’s study encompassed close to 3,000 site visits across 14 leading convenience brands.Advanced the Company’s entry into the grocery vertical, including proprietary grocery research produced in partnership with Informa Connect and NexChapter, which the Company presented during the general session at the GroceryNEXT conference in Chicago on August 24-26, 2026.Published two proprietary thought leadership studies, the 2026 Emerging Experiences Study on mobile order ahead and the 2026 C-store Trends Report, both of which heighten the Company’s industry profile.Advanced through the qualification stages of a previously disclosed seven-figure SaaS RFP within the Company’s core QSR vertical and is one of the remaining finalists.Secured a second merchandising customer and added contracted merchandising work that is expected to support a significant sequential increase in merchandising revenue in the third quarter of 2026.

Management Commentary

Cameron Watt, President & Chief Executive Officer of Intouch Insight, commented:

“The second quarter delivered exactly what we said it would. Revenue grew 8% to $7,015,784, our strongest quarterly growth rate in seven quarters, with growth across each of our major product lines, and we did it while continuing to fund the investments that we committed to at the start of the year. We told the market we would invest into growth without diluting shareholders, and we have not issued a single share to do it. We intend to fund these investments from cash generated by operations and our existing credit facilities, and we do not anticipate that an equity financing will be required.”

Watt added:

“Our goal to double the business by the end of 2028 remains our focus and our 2026 expectations are unchanged: double-digit organic revenue growth by year end, more than $1 million of merchandising revenue, and continued investment in our strategy, which may result in an operating loss. Merchandising has been slower off the line than we wanted, but the shape of the year is intact. Based on contracts signed to date, we expect third quarter merchandising revenue on its own to exceed the combined revenue of the first half.  We are continuing to pursue our stated strategy and remain optimistic in achieving our goals.”

Q2 Earnings Conference Call Information

To participate in this event, register and log-in approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the beginning of the call.

Date: August 27, 2026 
Time: 10:30 a.m. eastern time

Register for the live webcast and access on-demand recording: click here. https://events.zoom.us/ev/ApEXp4MTIT3r7mdIyMnepiOj0JWWQZz-8QK_9Gn0AtLGAC-R-pYn~Anj41TOs5ON_y0VBbXslnvdVEyaq_Dsmqwga9gdn5FSs1jbXHdNT1B07Hw  

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Q2 2026

Q2 2025

Revenue

$   7,015,784

$   6,503,539

Cost of services

3,740,310

3,225,447

Gross margin

3,275,474

3,278,092

Total operating expenses

3,221,113

4,299,212

Income from operating activities

54,361

(1,021,120)

Non-operating (expenses) income 

(97,284)

(82,423)

Income tax recovery (expense)

(213)

(8,480)

Net income (loss)

$       (43,136)

$  (1,112,023)

About Intouch Insight

Intouch Insight offers a complete portfolio of customer experience management (CEM) products and services that help global brands delight their customers, strengthen brand reputation and improve financial performance. Intouch helps clients collect and centralize data from multiple customer touch points, gives them actionable, real-time insights, and provides them with the tools to continuously improve customer experience. Founded in 1992, Intouch is trusted by over 300 of North America’s most-loved brands for their customer experience management, customer survey, mystery shopping, mobile forms, operational and compliance audits, geolocation data capture and event marketing automation solutions. For more information, visit intouchinsight.com.

Certain statements included in this news release including those related to the Company’s quarterly results, future products, opportunities and cost initiatives, strategies, and other statements that are predictive in nature that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “estimates”, or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.  Forward looking statements that are made as of the date hereof, which by their nature are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events, and are based on information currently available to the Company and on hypotheses which it considers to be reasonable; however, management cautions the reader that hypotheses relative to future events which are beyond the control of management could prove to be false, given that they are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the risks set forth in the Company’s most recent annual MD&A and the Company’s continuous disclosure documents that can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Intouch Insight Ltd.

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Voltage Energy Will Seek New Trial and Review of Verdict in Shoals Patent Dispute

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Voltage Energy Group (“Voltage Energy”), a leading solar and clean energy solutions provider founded in North Carolina, today confirmed that it will seek a new trial following the jury’s verdict in Voltage’s ongoing patent dispute with Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (“Shoals”) in the Middle District of North Carolina.

Voltage Energy strongly disagrees with the jury’s verdict and believes the judgment is not supported by legally sufficient evidence or the law. The Company will pursue all available post-trial remedies.

“We are confident in our record for appeal and the Court’s prior findings that Shoals violated an agreement prohibiting its counsel’s involvement in obtaining these patents,” said Li Wang, CEO of Voltage Energy. “Voltage independently developed LYNX in 2021 through its own engineering efforts, three years before the patents asserted by Shoals were issued. Our focus remains on proudly powering the renewable energy industry.”

LYNX PLUS, the Company’s latest trunk bus solution featuring a 2kV architecture, 0.5–0.8% higher yield, 10–15% material savings, and 34% voltage-drop reduction, remains in full production and continues to ship to customers as scheduled. Building on this foundation, Voltage Energy will proudly unveil new products and technologies at RE+ 2026, taking place November 17–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Customers and partners are invited to explore its latest solutions at Booths N936 and N736. The upcoming opening of Power Ranch in Roxboro, North Carolina, will further mark the Company’s next milestone in expansion and innovation roadmap.

About Voltage Energy Group

Founded in 2016, Voltage Energy Group (“Voltage Energy”) is a leading global provider of mission-critical power architecture solutions for utility-scale solar, BESS, and data center segments. Headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Voltage Energy operates globally with offices in Frankfurt, Germany; Sydney, Australia; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Rooted in utility-scale solar EBOS, Voltage Energy delivers safe, reliable, and scalable infrastructure solutions that power our partners to move forward with confidence. We strengthen our core business today while building the capabilities required to meet tomorrow’s mission-critical energy and infrastructure needs, from BESS and data centers to microgrids and beyond.

Learn more about us at www.voltageenergy.com.

 

 

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SOURCE Voltage Energy Group

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