Panhandle Times

Of the 384 students at Cactus Elementary School in Cactus, 323 (84%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Panhandle Times' 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 Cactus 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, Cactus Elementary School's student population was made up of 384 students, of which 61 were Hispanic and two African American students.

Data shows that 19% (61) of Cactus Elementary School 323 Hispanic students, and 7% of its 30 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 327 Cactus Elementary School students - equivalent to 95% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 84%, marking an 11% 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.

School	Total Students	% On College Track
Cactus Elementary School	384	84%
Dumas High School	1,148	82%
Dumas Intermediate School	618	79%
Dumas Junior High School	657	78%
Green Acres Elementary School	373	71%
Hillcrest Elementary School	294	67%
Morningside Elementary School	459	77%
North Plains Opportunity Center	33	100%
Sunset Elementary School	302	65%

Source: Texas Education Agency.