Of the 1,779 students at Burleson High School in Burleson, 1,458 (82%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to South DFW 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, Burleson High School’s student population was made up of 1,779 students, of which 974 were white, 486 Hispanic, 185 African American, 79 multiracial, 41 Asian, and nine American Indian students.
Data shows that 24.4% of Burleson High School’s Asian students (10), 20.9% of its white students (204), 11.1% of its American Indian students (1), 19% of its multiracial students (15) and 14.8% of its Hispanic students (72) 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 1,458 Burleson High School students – equivalent to 83% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 82%, marking a 1% decrease from the previous year.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Academy at Nola Dunn | 652 | 26% |
| Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove | 638 | 23% |
| Burleson Centennial High School | 2,099 | 17% |
| Burleson Collegiate High School | 150 | 46% |
| Burleson High School | 1,779 | 18% |
| Crossroads High School | 54 | 3% |
| Frazier Elementary School | 562 | 25% |
| Game Development Design School at Burleson ISD | 340 | 20% |
| Hughes Middle School | 950 | 16% |
| Irene Clinkscale Elementary School | 564 | 23% |
| Jack Taylor Elementary School | 520 | 15% |
| Judy Hajek Elementary School | 561 | 25% |
| Mound Elementary School | 449 | 25% |
| Nick Kerr Middle School | 1,205 | 19% |
| Norwood Elementary School | 464 | 18% |
| Richard Bransom Elementary School | 583 | 30% |
| Steam Middle School | 578 | 34% |
| William Stribling Elementary School | 485 | 30% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
