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Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Analysis: 662 of 752 students at Willow Springs Elementary School not on "college track" in 2021-22 school year

Commissioner of education mike morath 2023

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

Of the 752 students at Willow Springs Elementary School in Killeen, 662 (88%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Centroplex News' analysis of test scores from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). To better understand these statistics, it's important to know what TSI (Texas Success Initiative) and CCMR (College, Career, and Military Readiness) are, as they are key indicators of a student's readiness for post-secondary education or career paths.

Primary data on overall student readiness in Willow Springs Elementary School is derived from the TSI's assessments, which evaluate student capabilities in reading, writing, and mathematics. Certain students may qualify for exemptions from these assessments. In contrast, CCMR focuses on preparedness for life post-high school, factoring in TSI scores along with other criteria like dual credits, AP/IB exam results, and more, to provide insights into specific subject performance.

In the 2021-22 school year, Willow Springs Elementary School's student population was made up of 752 students, of which 37 were African American, 27 Hispanic, 14 White, 12 Multiracial, and two Pacific Islander students.

Data shows that 17% (12) of Willow Springs Elementary School 74 multiracial students, 16% (27) of its 171 Hispanic students, 15% (14) of its 95 white students, 14% of its 20 Pacific Islander students, and 10% (37) of its 370 African American students had "mastered" their grade level in the 2021-22 school year and were "on track for college and career readiness," as measured by state academic standards.

The TEA says students who meet, but haven't mastered their grade level are "prepared to progress to the next grade," but are not on a college track.

In 2020-21, the TEA noted that 811 Willow Springs Elementary School students - equivalent to 90% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 88%, marking a 2% decrease from the previous year.

Despite an improvement after the pandemic, Texas students are still struggling to keep a good performance and reach grade level in schools. In the 2021-22 school year, nearly two-thirds (60%) of students were below grade level in math and 48% did not meet the standards in reading language and arts.

According to Chandra Villanueva, director of policy and advocacy for Every Texan, one of the main causes for this is bad funds management. "Your average homeowner is like, 'Look, I'm paying more and more every single year. Why are my schools still underfunded, overcrowded, my teachers underpaid? Obviously, the schools are doing a bad job with my money,'" she said in an interview. Currently, Texas residents pay more than $70 billion annually in taxes destined to public education.

Gov. Abbott has been calling not only for an end to the main school property tax, but to use public money to support private schools. The initiative is called universal private school choice and, if passed, would allow residents to use taxpayer money to pay for their kids' private education.

"School choice not only improves education for every kid and every parent who chooses that pathway," Abbott said at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 16.

Students On and Off College Track by Race at Willow Springs Elementary School in 2021-22 School Year

050100150200250300African AmericanHispanicWhiteMultiracialPacific IslanderAsian373733333327271441441414818112126262221818001717On college trackNot on college track

Students on College Track by School in Killeen ISD in 2021-22 School Year

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Alice W. Douse Elementary School96980%
Audie Murphy Middle School80282%
Brookhaven Elementary School62985%
C. E. Ellison High School2,65587%
Cedar Valley Elementary School59976%
Charles E. Patterson Middle School1,01480%
Clarke Elementary School56174%
Clear Creek Elementary School66577%
Clifton Park Elementary School1,00282%
Dr. Joseph A. Fowler Elementary School76973%
Eastern Hills Middle School61388%
Gateway High School135100%
Harker Heights Elementary School67274%
Harker Heights High School2,67482%
Hay Branch Elementary School62891%
Haynes Elementary School82283%
Iduma Elementary School81484%
Ira Cross Junior Elementary School63082%
Killeen Elementary School1,03590%
Killeen High School2,18787%
Killeen ISD Early College High School1,00171%
Liberty Hill Middle School80087%
Live Oak Ridge Middle School73587%
Manor Middle School65990%
Maude Moore Wood Elementary School69573%
Maxdale Elementary School61685%
Meadows Elementary School80372%
Montague Village Elementary School53372%
Mountain View Elementary School82878%
Nolan Middle School1,13276%
Nolanville Elementary School60471%
Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary School69081%
Palo Alto Middle School83590%
Pat Carney Elementary School69584%
Pathways Academic Campus35594%
Peebles Elementary School52891%
Pershing Park Elementary School1,02086%
Rancier Middle School78589%
Reeces Creek Elementary School89184%
Richard E. Cavazos Elementary School59471%
Robert M. Shoemaker High School2,25991%
Roy Junior Smith Middle School1,35780%
Saegert Elementary School87376%
Skipcha Elementary School97169%
Timber Ridge Elementary School83185%
Trimmier Elementary School76886%
Union Grove Middle School64675%
Venable Village Elementary School62280%
Willow Springs Elementary School75288%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

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