Longview ISD touts student results and bond progress at district event

Longview Independent School District used its State of the District event this week to highlight school accountability scores, construction funded by a voter-approved bond and the achievements of students, staff and alumni. Superintendent Marla Sheppard praised the district’s Texas Education Agency accountability grade of 88 and said educators at every level contribute to students’ preparation for high school.

The district also recognized two Longview High School graduates as its 2026 Distinguished Alumni. Toysha Walker, a 1992 graduate, founded and leads a consulting firm focused on technology-driven process improvements in manufacturing. Judge Demetrius Blacklock, who graduated in 2004, is a municipal judge for Dallas. Walker encouraged students to keep up with technology; Blacklock urged them to “dream bigger and work hard.”

What the district reported

Hudson PEP Elementary School received the district’s highest reported score, a 98, while Longview High School scored 95. Sheppard said students’ progress through elementary and middle school prepares them for high school, and thanked principals and teachers for that work. The event did not detail how the scores compare with previous years.

A video introduced ELEVATE 2030, Longview ISD’s strategic plan and priorities. Students and school groups also took part in the event, including the Longview High School JROTC Color Guard, theater students and orchestra. Near the end of her address, Sheppard asked attendees who had attended public school to stand. “Public education works, and the proof is right here in this room,” she said.

Bond projects remain on schedule

Sheppard said all projects under the district’s $456.2 million bond package, approved by voters in May 2024, are on schedule. The high school’s Career and Technical Education expansion and a multipurpose facility were each about 40% complete. Work on the visitor section and stadium interior at Lobo Stadium was about 65% to 70% through the design phase.

At the new Early Childhood Learning Center, foundations had been placed for three of six building areas, and about 85% of required paving was in place. Structural installations for a new natatorium were expected to begin later in the fall. The district did not provide projected completion dates for the individual projects at the event.

This report draws on information from Longview News-Journal.