Taylor ISD scores a B, bond rating increases to A+
Educators are lauding the Taylor Independent School District’s improved accountability ratings, with the system rising from a C to a B overall.
In other news that brought smiles to district leaders’ faces, Taylor ISD’s bond rating also increased, promising to lower the cost of interest.
Meanwhile, the ratings issued by the Texas Education Agency covering the district and its campuses show a jump of nine points from the 2024-25 school year to the 2025-26 academic cycle.
“Over the last four years, Taylor ISD has the second highest (rating) growth in all of Williamson County for districts. And that is truly notable,” said Megan Zembik, chief academic officer.
In addition, Taylor ISD saw scores increase 19 points from the 2022-23 school year to 2025-26.
Trustees and teachers cheered the news at the Sept. 21 board meeting, especially since district leaders earlier announced a goal of reaching a B grade by the 2027-28 school year.
However, the achievement came two years early in part due to leaps in accountability for Taylor Middle and Taylor High schools, administrators said.
Taylor Middle improved from a D to a B over the course of one year and Taylor High improved from a C to a B.
Main Street and T.H.
Johnson elementaries saw their scores drop just one point, but that took the campuses, which are graded together, from a B to a C.
Pasemann Elementary fell a couple of points but maintained a C.
All schools have shown steady upward growth over the course of the last four years, when ratings across the state dipped due to changes in the evaluation criteria, officials said.
“I am so happy, but not satisfied,” Zembik said. “It is tremendous...to see all the amazing things that we’re doing, even though we know there’s even more on the horizon. We want to continue to close those gaps.”
TEA officials said the ratings give parents a snapshot of how schools are performing.
“This measures how much students are learning in each grade and whether or not they are ready for the next grade.
It also shows how well a school or district prepares their students for success after high school in college, the workforce or the military,” according to the TEA website.
The district with seven schools had 2,882 students enrolled during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Bond rating also improves
An improvement in the district’s Standard & Poor bond rating from A to A+ will save the Taylor ISD more than $14 million in interest over the course of its recently issued bond terms.
The bonds were issued at 4.6283% rather than the expected 5.25%.
The referendum was approved by voters in the November 2025 election.
“The rating upgrade in (the investor’s) words reflects the view of the district’s rapidly expanding economic footprint, long-term enrollment growth, anticipation of revenue stability and strong management at the board and administration levels,” said bond consultant Dan Wegmiller.
He added there were more orders for purchase of the bonds than there were bonds to sell, giving the district the ability to choose better interest rates. While national firms made offers, Wegmiller said that per the board’s instructions he made sure local investors were able to buy in and take part in supporting their community.
The final bond sale was $141 million, with a lifetime interest total of $272 million.
Construction of infrastructure projects funded by the bond is expected to total $147 million.
The bidding occurred Aug. 4 and the sales are in the process of being finalized after the board’s Sept. 21 approval.
The district hosted a bond sale livestream event so interested students could watch the bidding for the bonds in real time and hear about the process from the financial advisor.
