Stafford Municipal School District's approximately 3,600 students wrapped their first week of the 2026-27 school year Friday, Aug. 14, and Superintendent Dr. Adam Stephens called it a success.

Stephens posted a video message that day describing a strong opening to the new year, according to the district's official account on X. The message capped a week that also brought good news from Austin: the district earned an overall B rating and a score of 85 on the 2026 TEA Accountability Ratings, a 7-point increase from the prior year.

That's the district's largest single-year gain in recent memory.

The district announced the TEA results on Wednesday, Aug. 12, two days into the school year. Stafford Middle School also earned a B rating. For comparison, neighboring Fort Bend ISD scored 82 on the same ratings, up 2 points from last year.

New CTE leadership

Days before students returned, the district introduced Anthony Yim as its new Executive Director of Career and Technical Education. Stafford MSD announced the hire on Thursday, Aug. 6, describing Yim as bringing expertise to the role. The position oversees CTE programming across the district, which operates under the mission of graduating every student college or career ready without remediation.

Convocation set the tone

The week before classes began, staff gathered for the district-wide Convocation. The district posted a recap on Aug. 14, describing the event as a look back at the district's progress and a preview of the year ahead, with staff kicking off the year with shared enthusiasm.

What's ahead for families

The next major date on the district calendar is a joint Board of Trustees and City Council budget workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 18. The proposed 2026-27 general fund budget totals $45.1 million, with 54% directed to classroom instruction. A budget and tax adoption meeting follows on Monday, Aug. 24.