Of the 242 students at Belton New Tech High School at Waskow in Smiley, 193 (80%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 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 2023-24 school year, Belton New Tech High School at Waskow’s student population was made up of 242 students, of which 132 were white, 80 Hispanic, 14 multiracial, 11 African American, and four Asian students.
Data shows that 36.4% of Belton New Tech High School at Waskow’s African American students (4), 25% of its Asian students (1), 23.5% of its white students (31) and 15% of its Hispanic students (12) had “mastered” their grade level that year and were “on track for college and career readiness,” as measured by state academic standards.
In the 2022-23 school year, the TEA noted that 137 Belton New Tech High School at Waskow students – equivalent to 83% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 80%, marking a 3% decrease 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 | 1,835 | 15% |
| Belton Middle School | 715 | 17% |
| Belton New Tech High School at Waskow | 242 | 20% |
| Charter Oak Elementary School | 623 | 19% |
| Chisholm Trail Elementary School | 913 | 12% |
| High Point Elementary School | 645 | 13% |
| Joe M. Pirtle Elementary School | 625 | 16% |
| Lake Belton High School | 2,267 | 23% |
| Lake Belton Middle School | 811 | 26% |
| Lakewood Elementary School | 674 | 32% |
| Leon Heights Elementary School | 219 | 19% |
| Miller Heights Elementary School | 283 | 8% |
| North Belton Middle School | 919 | 19% |
| South Belton Middle School | 660 | 11% |
| Southwest Elementary School | 397 | 8% |
| Sparta Elementary School | 573 | 25% |
| Tarver Elementary School | 484 | 21% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
