Of the 842 students at Copperas Cove Junior High School in Copperas Cove, 707 (84%) 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, Copperas Cove Junior High School’s student population was made up of 842 students, of which 313 were white, 276 Hispanic, 117 African American, 90 multiracial, 36 Pacific Islander, and seven Asian students.
Data shows that 57.1% of Copperas Cove Junior High School’s Asian students (4), 18.9% of its multiracial students (17), 16.9% of its white students (53), 14.9% of its Hispanic students (41) and 13.9% of its Pacific Islander students (5) 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 766 Copperas Cove Junior High School 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 84%, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C. R. Clements/Hollie Parsons Elementary School | 826 | 17% |
| Copperas Cove High School | 2,272 | 19% |
| Copperas Cove Junior High School | 842 | 16% |
| Crossroads High School | 135 | 4% |
| Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary School | 504 | 26% |
| Hettie Halstead Elementary School | 398 | 17% |
| House Creek Elementary School | 579 | 24% |
| J. L. Williams/Lovett Ledger Elementary School | 697 | 14% |
| Martin Walker Elementary School | 392 | 21% |
| S. C. Lee Junior High | 929 | 16% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
