After every school year, the Texas Education Agency gives out different distinctions to schools based on their academic performances. For the 2013-2014 school year, McNeil qualified for all six high school distinctions:

Academic Achievement in Reading/ELA
Academic Achievement in Mathematics
Academic Achievement in Science
Academic Achievement in Social Studies
Top 25 Percent Closing Performance Gaps
Postsecondary Readiness

“This is exciting for us as a community because less than 100 out of over 1,400 high schools in the state earned all six,” Interim Principal Courtney Acosta said. “We are the only high school in the district that was able to pull it off not just this year, but last year as well.”

Even shirts were designed for faculty members to celebrate the achievements. Six stars are displayed on the back to represent the distinctions gained this year, while three stars are on the front to represent the year before.

“It’s important that our faculty celebrates our success together and shows pride in what we are able to accomplish,” Acosta said.

In order to maintain this record of distinction, school officials and teachers will continue to work hard toward improvement and success.

“I truly believe that there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of our teachers and student success,” Acosta said. “Our teachers have high expectations and our students rise to the occasion. There were some areas that our faculty recognized as opportunities for growth, such as attendance rates and AP exam participation, and we are building systems of intervention so that we continue to move forward.”