Of the 753 students at Deer Creek Elementary School in Crowley, 655 (87%) 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, Deer Creek Elementary School’s student population was made up of 753 students, of which 424 were Hispanic, 182 African American, 103 white, and 37 multiracial students.
Data shows that 27.2% of Deer Creek Elementary School’s white students (28), 11% of its African American students (20), 10.8% of its Hispanic students (46) and 5.4% of its multiracial students (2) 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 612 Deer Creek Elementary School students – equivalent to 85% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 87%, marking a 2% increase 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bess Race Elementary School | 672 | 11% |
| Crowley High School | 2,492 | 8% |
| Crowley Middle School | 864 | 8% |
| Dallas Park Elementary School | 471 | 9% |
| David L. Walker Elementary School | 433 | 10% |
| Deer Creek Elementary School | 753 | 13% |
| H. F. Stevens Middle School | 702 | 11% |
| J. A. Hargrave Elementary School | 409 | 15% |
| Jackie Carden Elementary School | 533 | 17% |
| June W. Davis Elementary School | 693 | 17% |
| Mary Harris Elementary School | 374 | 7% |
| Meadowcreek Elementary School | 513 | 8% |
| North Crowley High School | 2,923 | 10% |
| Oakmont Elementary School | 501 | 15% |
| Parkway Elementary School | 468 | 10% |
| Richard Allie Middle School | 1,034 | 15% |
| School High Crowley Elementary | 555 | 12% |
| Sidney H. Poynter | 412 | 9% |
| Sue Crouch Elementary School | 423 | 9% |
| Summer Creek Middle School | 928 | 11% |
| Sycamore Elementary School | 528 | 12% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
