San Antonio Standard

Of the 305 students at Steam at the Fine Arts Academy in San Antonio, 287 (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 Steam at the Fine Arts Academy 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, Steam at the Fine Arts Academy's student population was made up of 305 students, of which 17 were Hispanic students.

Data shows that 6% (17) of Steam at the Fine Arts Academy 295 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.

In 2020-21, the TEA noted that 274 Steam at the Fine Arts Academy 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 94%, marking a 1% 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
Alonso School Perales Elementary	340	85%
Brentwood Middle School	750	91%
E. T. Wrenn Middle School	505	92%
Gus Garcia Middle School	592	90%
H. B. Gonzalez Elementary School	434	91%
John F. Kennedy High School	1,030	95%
L. B. Johnson Elementary School	370	88%
Las Palmas Elementary School	100	90%
Las Palmas Leadership School for Girls	143	95%
Learn4life	46	96%
Loma Park Elementary School	554	91%
Memorial High School	1,009	93%
Roosevelt Elementary School	392	92%
Roy Cisneros Elementary School	227	91%
Stafford Elementary School	521	92%
Steam at the Fine Arts Academy	305	94%
Winston Elementary School	84	91%
Winston Intermediate of Excellence	144	94%

Source: Texas Education Agency.