Of the 222 students at Colorado River Collegiate Academy in Bastrop, 122 (55%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to Central Texas 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, Colorado River Collegiate Academy’s student population was made up of 222 students, of which 155 were Hispanic, 55 white, seven multiracial, and four Asian students.
Data shows that 57.1% of Colorado River Collegiate Academy’s multiracial students (4), 56.4% of its white students (31), 40.6% of its Hispanic students (63) and 25% of its Asian 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 2022-23 school year, the TEA noted that 129 Colorado River Collegiate Academy students – equivalent to 55% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 55%.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bastrop High School | 1,722 | 13% |
| Bastrop Intermediate School | 416 | 11% |
| Bastrop Middle School | 882 | 14% |
| Bluebonnet Elementary School | 748 | 12% |
| Cedar Creek Elementary School | 747 | 4% |
| Cedar Creek High School | 2,111 | 7% |
| Cedar Creek Intermediate School | 455 | 5% |
| Cedar Creek Middle School | 1,028 | 6% |
| Colorado River Collegiate Academy | 222 | 45% |
| Emile Elementary School | 583 | 13% |
| Genesis High School | 112 | 0% |
| Lost Pines Elementary School | 876 | 6% |
| Mina Elementary School | 752 | 14% |
| Red Rock Elementary School | 823 | 7% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
