Of the 606 students at Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School in Temple, 436 (72%) weren’t on track for college in the 2022-23 school year, according to Centroplex News’ analysis of STAAR scores from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The TEA considers students to be on track for college if they demonstrate mastery of the course content through the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Students who meet, but do not master their grade level are “prepared to progress to the next grade,” but not yet on college track.
In the 2022-23 school year, Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School’s student population was made up of 606 students, of which 289 were white, 176 Hispanic, 70 African American, 54 multiracial, 13 Asian, and four American Indian students.
Data shows that 31.8% of Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School’s Hispanic students (56), 30.8% of its white students (89), 27.8% of its multiracial students (15), 15.4% of its Asian students (2) and 25% of its American Indian students (1) had “mastered” their grade level that year and were “on track for college and career readiness,” as measured by state academic standards.
In the 2021-22 school year, the TEA noted that 447 Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School students – equivalent to 71% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2022-23, when the percentage stood at 72%, marking a 1% increase from the previous year.
A recent study by WalletHub classified Texas as one of the least-educated states in the U.S., ranking it 41st out of 50 in educational quality and student outcomes.
Underfunding is a frequently cited challenge facing the state’s school district. According to a 2024 report from the Texas Education Agency, per-pupil funding has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rates rising by more than 20% since then.
“As a result, many districts in our very own Central Texas region are being forced to cut back on essential programs, services, consider school closures, and adopt deficit budgets just to provide students with the education that they deserve,” Hutto ISD Trustee James Matlock stated in an interview.
| School | Total Students | % On College Track |
|---|---|---|
| Belton High School | 1,938 | 13% |
| Belton Middle School | 691 | 18% |
| Belton New Tech High School at Waskow | 166 | 17% |
| Charter Oak Elementary School | 632 | 22% |
| Chisholm Trail Elementary School | 868 | 9% |
| High Point Elementary School | 643 | 18% |
| Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School | 606 | 28% |
| Lake Belton High School | 2,180 | 20% |
| Lake Belton Middle School | 826 | 27% |
| Lakewood Elementary School | 700 | 38% |
| Leon Heights Elementary School | 216 | 20% |
| Miller Heights Elementary School | 317 | 14% |
| North Belton Middle School | 857 | 24% |
| South Belton Middle School | 677 | 9% |
| Southwest Elementary School | 402 | 5% |
| Sparta Elementary School | 598 | 30% |
| Tarver Elementary School | 794 | 21% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
