2025-26 End of Year Letter
May 19, 2026
Dear Midland ISD,
As we close out another school year, it is a great time to reflect on the year and celebrate accomplishments. Our theme this year, Excellence in Action, has not just been a phrase we say. It has been showcased in the work happening throughout the district and on every campus. Now in year three of our Strategic Plan, we have remained focused and aligned in our efforts. That plan continues to guide our work with intention and is centered around improving student outcomes.
Midland ISD continues to strengthen the Student Experience by expanding access to early learning, improving instructional alignment, and ensuring students are supported from their first days in Pre-K through graduation. Our district expanded Pre-K access to a total of 1,475 seats this year. This milestone marks a 32% growth in available seating over the last five years. High-quality Pre-K is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future academic success. Expanding access ensures more students enter kindergarten with the foundational literacy, math, and skills needed to thrive from day one. This early investment helps close readiness gaps, strengthens long-term academic outcomes, and reduces the need for later interventions. Pre-K sets students on a stronger path from the very beginning of their educational journey.
Across K- 12, we strengthened instructional practices to advance our strategic plan goal of improving student academic performance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement by implementing a cohesive writing framework. This framework established clear, grade-level expectations for writing development, ensured alignment across content areas, and provided teachers with consistent structures for explicit instruction, modeling, and feedback. As a result, students experienced a more rigorous and connected approach to writing, building skills progressively from year to year, while teachers engaged in ongoing collaboration and refinement of instructional practices. In addition, expanded STEM opportunities, including LEGO Science in grades 6–8 and hands-on learning experiences such as Go For Launch, continue to strengthen problem-solving and real-world application across classrooms. These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to high-quality, TEKS-aligned instruction for every student.
These investments are reflected in strong academic outcomes across Midland ISD. Students demonstrated continued growth in Advanced Academics programming, earning districtwide recognition in National Merit, Advanced Placement (AP), and UIL A+ Academics.
This year marks the highest level of National Merit recognition since 2009, with 11 students earning recognition: nine Commended Scholars and two Semifinalists, one of whom was named as a Finalist. AP participation and achievement also increased, with 344 AP Scholars recognized, and the number of AP exams administered increased to 4,014. PSAT participation in grades 7-9 grew to 1,983 students, which is a 35% increase in participation from last spring. These students outperformed state, national, and global averages for students who met both benchmarks. Six hundred students took the NMSQT, and 494 students took the PSAT 10. All of these students outperformed state, national, and global averages as well. More than 350 students in grades 2-8 across 17 campuses participated in UIL A+ Academics, reflecting a strong and growing culture of academic excellence across all grade levels.
We continue to closely monitor the data that has been a major focus for Midland ISD over the past three years. In 2023, 56% of our K–2 students were reading on grade level at the end of the year. That number increased to 60% the following year and rose again to 65% last year through the continued implementation of phonics-based instruction and structured literacy practices. This year, I am proud to share that 67% of our K–2 students are now reading on grade level. Building a strong literacy foundation in the early years is critical to long-term student success, and this continued growth reflects the dedication and hard work of our teachers, campus leaders, and support staff who remain committed to improving outcomes for every student.
As Midland ISD celebrates the accomplishments of the Class of 2026, we recognize approximately 1,850 graduates across our five high schools, each representing years of learning, growth, and opportunity. This year’s graduating class earned more than $21.3 million in scholarships, an increase of $3.8 million over the previous class, reflecting the hard work and dedication of our students. In addition, 289 seniors earned a Level 1 certification, 25 more than the previous graduating class, continuing the district’s focus on college, career, and military readiness. We also proudly celebrate the Early College High School graduates, with 99% earning an associate degree alongside their high school diploma. This accomplishment highlights the impact of expanded academic pathways and college readiness opportunities across Midland ISD.
MISD continues to prioritize the Grow and Develop Staff pillar by expanding opportunities, strengthening support systems, and creating clear career pathways. Through Opportunity Culture, a strategic staffing model that extends the reach of our most effective teachers to serve more students, we are recognizing and rewarding excellence in instruction across the district, ensuring more students have access to high-quality teachers and teams are coached by a highly effective multi-classroom leader. This year, more than 1,148 professional learning sessions were offered, engaging approximately 30,339 participants.
These learning opportunities provide timely, relevant support for all staff to ensure best practices are implemented to improve student outcomes. Together, this work reflects our commitment to meaningful, job-embedded professional learning that strengthens both staff growth and student outcomes.
Through the Teacher Incentive Allotment, we are expanding recognition for highly effective teachers, including continued growth in the number of educators earning $100,000+ through TIA and Opportunity Culture. This year, Midland ISD has seen our largest cohort of TIA designated teachers, generating more than $3.8 million in teacher compensation. We are excited to have 387 TIA designated teachers in MISD. This makes up approximately 29% of our teaching staff. We look forward to expanding this opportunity for all highly effective teachers to be compensated through strategic compensation. Additionally, we also continue to strengthen pathways into and within the profession. Thirty-two teacher candidates received “Fast Track” scholarships to support certification completion to accelerate their pathway into the classroom as fully certified educators. Our Registered Apprenticeship Program also continues to grow; five apprentices graduated this semester and will begin leading their own class next year. Also, 24 new apprentices were added this year, and they will soon begin working towards a degree and teacher certification. These investments reflect a strong and intentional focus on recruiting, retaining, and developing high-quality staff across Midland ISD. Growing and developing staff is not just for teachers. Midland ISD invests in future leaders as well through programs like our Principal Residency. This year marks year three of partnering with Texas Tech University to build a bench of future principals. This year has yielded new leaders who will complete their degree programs and principal certification in August and have already secured roles as assistant principals in the district for the 2026-27 school year.
Midland ISD continues to strengthen engagement with families and our community as part of the Engage & Act pillar of the Strategic Plan. This year, we partnered with the Midland Education Foundation to host the inaugural MISD Showcase, which highlighted the programs and opportunities available on our campuses and provided an update on the work happening throughout the district. Districtwide PTA membership has climbed to an all-time high of over 7,750 members across 38 campuses.
Our work would not be possible without the support of our community partners, whose commitment to MISD reflects a shared dedication to student success. Our Partners in Education program continues to be a cornerstone of community collaboration. Through the Adopt a Campus initiative, several partnerships, such as Fasken Elementary with Liberty Energy, Rusk Elementary with Community National Bank, Pease Elementary with Heritage USA, and Bunche Elementary with Arrington Oil & Gas, have provided direct support, resources, and mentorship to students and staff. New partners, including Heritage USA and SM Energy, joined our network this year, while longstanding partners such as Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Diamondback Energy, and ExxonMobil continued to expand STEM opportunities, robotics, mentorship programs, and classroom support across the district. I am grateful to be part of a community that consistently puts students first and allows us to Educate the Future with Excellence. If you or someone you know would like to be a Partner in Education next year, please contact Emily Holeva.
Bond 2023 projects continue to make progress throughout the district, with major construction and renovations scheduled throughout the summer and into the new school year. At the elementary level, work focuses on facility improvements that enhance safety, learning environments, and campus accessibility, including fire suppression upgrades, restroom renovations, and the addition of administrative and security spaces across multiple campuses. Many projects will continue into fall 2026 as part of long-term campus improvements.
At the middle school level, significant expansion and modernization projects are underway, including new classroom wings, cafeteria and library renovations, and redesigned front office and secured vestibules designed to better support campus flow and the safety of students and staff. These projects reflect a continued investment in updating learning environments to meet the needs of growing programs and enrollment.
At the high school level, construction continues on both new high school campuses, which remain on schedule and represent a key milestone in the district’s long-term grade reconfiguration plan.
I want to take a moment to thank Team MISD. To our teachers, staff, coaches, administrators, and support personnel– thank you. None of our success would be possible without a team committed to excellence. Your dedication to our students makes a difference every day. In MISD, we remain focused on providing high-quality instruction, meaningful learning experiences, and opportunities for students to excel in academics, fine arts, athletics, and more.
Thank you to our parents for choosing Midland ISD and for the trust you place in us each day. Your partnership and support play a vital role in your child’s success and in the strength of our schools.
As we close out the school year, many students will engage in summer learning opportunities and camps while our staff participates in professional learning to prepare for the year ahead. I hope everyone finds time to rest, recharge, and return ready for another great year in Midland ISD.
