2025 Fall Semester Wrap Up
We have seen great accomplishments, perseverance, and a continued commitment to our vision, Educating the Future with Excellence, throughout the fall semester. Our focus remains on the work outlined in our Strategic Plan: Student Experience, Grow and Develop Staff, and Engage and Act. We are in year three of this five year plan. Our focus will continue to remain on improving student outcomes and ensuring every student receives a high-quality education and has access to exceptional schools.
In alignment with the Student Experience pillar, this fall semester has been defined by the hard work and dedication of our teachers and the many achievements of our Midland ISD students. One of our priorities has been ensuring that students experience consistent, rigorous learning in every classroom across the district. Thanks to the commitment of our Teaching and Learning team, the leadership of our principals, and the work of our teachers, MISD now has fully aligned K-8 English Language Arts and K-Algebra I instructional resources, ensuring consistency across our schools.
Campus leaders are leading this work—using effective instructional practices, engaging students in meaningful tasks, and incorporating daily checks for understanding that give clear insight into what students know and can do. Across classrooms, we continue to see a strong emphasis on rigorous questioning and rich academic discussions. This collective effort is strengthening the student experience district-wide and helping to ensure every MISD student receives high-quality, knowledge-building instruction each and every day.
Our focus on early learning is also showing strong results. Kindergarten readiness data shows that students who attend Pre-K on their home campus outperform their peers or those coming to us from any other experience. These early gains matter; they lay the foundation for long-term success and reflect the impact of our teachers’ work from the very beginning of a child’s educational journey.
Two Midland ISD students have been named National Merit Semifinalists for the Class of 2026, and nine students from across the district have been named National Merit Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This distinction represents the highest number of Midland ISD National Merit qualifiers since the Class of 2009. Beyond National Merit, 344 Midland ISD students earned Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar awards. This is a direct result of improved rigor and coursework in our secondary schools. In addition, 95 high school students received College Board National Recognition Awards, highlighting their exceptional academic achievements.
Our student-athletes continue to demonstrate hard work and dedication both on and off the field. The LHS football team earned the title of Bi-District Champions while the Midland High volleyball team captured the District 2-6A and Bi-District Championships. The Lady Rebels cross country team celebrated their fourth consecutive District 2-6A title. The Rebel Tennis team won the Bi-District and Area Championships. The Rebels cross country team was represented by Jaime Arreola at the State meet, and 48 student-athletes have been recognized as Academic All-State in the first semester alone. Eight of our student-athletes have already signed to compete at the collegiate level.
This fall, MISD launched the STEM+M program across all four junior highs, giving students interested in a medical pathway the opportunity to explore that field early and with purpose. Career-focused programs continue to grow, with 51 Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) students advancing to the State competition. CTE programs are also expanding, particularly welding, which increased from 96 available seats in 2024–25 to 288 in 2025–26—a 300% increase. Enrollment nearly tripled, rising from 89 students to 258, providing even more hands-on, career-ready learning opportunities for MISD students. Our high school students have access to 32 programs of study and 126 CTE courses.
Fine Arts programs continue to see growth across the district. This fall, over 6,596 secondary students participated in fine arts, and we have seen a 20% increase in students joining a Fine Arts program from last school year. Both the LHS and MHS marching bands competed in the Area Band Finals, with MHS advancing and placing third. Two Legacy Freshman students participated in the Chalk the Block community art event, where LHS freshman José E. Acosta earned third place. We also expanded experiences through our partnership with the West Texas Symphony, as 2,126 of our fifth grade students attended the Marvelous Melodies concert at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center—an opportunity aligned with our Strategic Plan that helps students experience the power of music to tell a story and create emotion.
Our teachers are on the front lines of student learning, and our principals help lead the way. To honor that work and strengthen our schools, we continue investing in the second pillar of our Strategic Plan—Grow and Develop Staff—so every member of Team MISD has the opportunity to grow, lead, and succeed. Since teachers returned from summer break, MISD has hosted 14 professional development days and more than 406 sessions focused on curriculum, instructional practices, technology, and student support. Most recently, we were proud to celebrate two additional MISD teachers who have earned National Board Certification, reflecting their commitment to refining instructional practices and elevating learning experiences for students.
Midland ISD is also intentionally building strong leadership pipelines. Five assistant principals have completed their first semester in the Aspiring Principal Academy, strengthening leadership skills that support their campuses today while preparing them to lead as future principals. Our Emerging Leadership Academy continues to serve as a critical stepping stone for frontline staff, focusing on communication, problem-solving, and leadership growth. In addition, our Registered Apprenticeship Program currently has three participants entering their clinical semester, positioning MISD to add newly degreed and certified teachers to classrooms as early as next semester. With continued investment and the support of the Scharbauer Foundation, the district plans to expand the program by 20 additional participants—ensuring a strong, sustainable pipeline of educators for years to come. The Scharbauer Foundation is also funding two Principal Fellows through Texas Tech University for the 2026-27 school year. This August, the two fellows currently in the program are expected to complete their 15-month internship. Midland ISD is being intentional and strategic about growing our own. This year, we have continued with our second year of Teach Like A Champion (TLAC) implementation. About 150 instructional leaders receive monthly training to help lead this work across the district. TLAC is funded through generous donations from the Abell Hanger Foundation and the Scharbauer Foundation. This work is key in developing best practices for instruction across Midland ISD.
Under our Engage and Act pillar, we remain committed to strengthening the partnership between our schools and the Midland community. Open communication, listening to the voices of our families, staff, and neighbors, and staying focused on what is best for students guides every decision we make. Across the district, our families continue to show strong support, with 38 active PTAs and more than 6,975 members advocating for our schools. I am proud to say we have over 300 Partners in Education throughout Midland. This year, our Communications Department also launched its first-ever cohort of student interns. These high school students are contributing to meaningful, real-world work—from capturing campus moments at high school events to drafting press releases that help keep our community informed. Looking ahead, we are excited to host our inaugural MISD Showcase in January. This event will allow our community to experience, firsthand, the programs, pathways, and possibilities available to every MISD student, the progress the district has made, and where we are headed.
Bond 2023 work continues to move forward as we enter year three, and we remain focused on delivering each project on time and within budget. We opened our 40th campus, Lone Star Trails Elementary—the first new school from Bond 2023 and the first campus MISD has opened since 2015. Lone Star Trails Elementary opened on schedule and approximately ten million dollars under budget, an important milestone and a true win for our community. Progress on our two new high school campuses continues on schedule. At the new Midland High site, construction is advancing steadily, and at the Midland Lee site, the steel frame is currently being assembled. Each of these projects is a key milestone in Bond 2023, and these projects reflect our commitment to providing modern, high-quality learning environments for our students.
Our commitment to student success remains the focus of every decision we make. Education is evolving, but our vision remains clear: Educating the Future with Excellence. As we begin the second semester, we will continue to strengthen academic outcomes and build on the progress we have made together. Thank you for your continued work, partnership, and support. I look forward to carrying this momentum into the spring semester.
