San Antonio Standard

Of the 439 students at Pecan Valley Elementary School in San Antonio, 413 (94%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to San Antonio Standard's 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 Pecan Valley 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, Pecan Valley Elementary School's student population was made up of 439 students, of which 23 were Hispanic, four White, and one African American students.

Data shows that 14% of Pecan Valley Elementary School 34 white students, 7% (23) of its 331 Hispanic students, and 2% of its 63 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 456 Pecan Valley Elementary School students - equivalent to 94% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 94%.

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
East Central Cast Lead High School	92	91%
East Central Heritage Middle School	1,258	89%
East Central High School	3,179	92%
Harmony Elementary School	556	92%
Highland Forest Elementary School	511	89%
Legacy Middle School	1,073	91%
Oak Crest Elementary School	684	83%
Pecan Valley Elementary School	439	94%
Salado Elementary School	632	86%
Sinclair Elementary School	668	90%
Tradition Elementary School	822	87%

Source: Texas Education Agency.