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Sunday, November 24, 2024

Analysis: 554 of 636 students at Lost Pines 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 636 students at Lost Pines Elementary School in Bastrop, 554 (87%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Central Texas 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 Lost Pines 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, Lost Pines Elementary School's student population was made up of 636 students, of which 63 were Hispanic and 19 White students.

Data shows that 23% (19) of Lost Pines Elementary School 85 white students, and 12% (63) of its 529 Hispanic 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.

For the past two years, from 2020-21 to 2021-22, none of Lost Pines Elementary School’s multiracial students have met the college readiness benchmark in Mathematics or Reading.

In 2020-21, the TEA noted that 601 Lost Pines Elementary School students - equivalent to 94% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 87%, marking a 7% 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 Lost Pines Elementary School in 2021-22 School Year

050100150200250300350400450HispanicWhiteMultiracial636346646619196666001515On college trackNot on college track

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

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Bastrop High School1,55688%
Bastrop Intermediate School78184%
Bastrop Middle School86482%
Bluebonnet Elementary School74287%
Cedar Creek Elementary School95193%
Cedar Creek High School1,88692%
Cedar Creek Intermediate School94391%
Cedar Creek Middle School1,03889%
Colorado River Collegiate Academy24158%
Emile Elementary School77979%
Genesis High School12299%
Lost Pines Elementary School63687%
Mina Elementary School74272%
Red Rock Elementary School66689%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

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