Of the 672 students at Bess Race Elementary School in Crowley, 598 (89%) 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, Bess Race Elementary School’s student population was made up of 672 students, of which 340 were African American, 175 Hispanic, 114 white, and 35 multiracial students.
Data shows that 17.1% of Bess Race Elementary School’s multiracial students (6), 11.8% of its African American students (40), 10.5% of its white students (12) and 8.6% of its Hispanic students (15) 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 590 Bess Race Elementary School students – equivalent to 89% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 89%.
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.
