Pershing Elementary School, located on the East Side of San Antonio, has posted a dramatic turnaround in the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) latest accountability ratings. The school moved from an F to a B, finishing just one point shy of an A with an 89% overall score released in August.
Leadership and consistent effort drive results
Principal Shelene Livas, who has led the campus for four years, attributes the improvement to a sustained focus on academics, school culture, and family engagement. “It’s about school being a place where we nourish students,” Livas said. “We educate the whole child academically, socially, emotionally.”
Livas took the helm during a challenging period when Pershing was listed among 19 schools slated for possible closure under a rightsizing plan. She first worked to stabilize enrollment, then turned her attention to strengthening campus culture, identifying academic strengths, and tracking targeted areas for growth.
Parents see the difference at home
Parent Jacene Rodriguez noticed the change in her child’s performance. “Last year, he was struggling, end of third grade, going into fourth,” Rodriguez said. “He really had a hard time staying on track, following directions.” She added that teachers have become more proactive in reaching out to families for academic and attendance support, and that this communication has helped motivate students to attend school and give their best.
“Magic sauce” of planning and perseverance
Livas emphasizes that the school’s success did not hinge on a single initiative. “The magic sauce is your goal, having a specific plan, communicating and executing that consistently every single day and never giving up,” she explained.
When the B rating arrived, Livas described the moment as emotional. “My heart jumped,” she said. “I screamed. I literally took a moment and just sat, like, wow, this has really happened. And then I started texting all my teachers.”
Looking ahead
Pershing’s enrollment remains below 300 students, with a goal of reaching 304. Livas hopes the improved rating will encourage more families in the neighborhood to return to their local school, reinforcing the campus’s role as a community hub.
The TEA’s A‑F accountability system, which relies heavily on STAAR test results, provides families a clear way to evaluate school performance. Pershing’s leap from an F to a B demonstrates how focused leadership, consistent planning, and strong family partnerships can lift a school’s academic standing.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
