Of the 564 students at Irene Clinkscale Elementary School in Burleson, 434 (77%) 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, Irene Clinkscale Elementary School’s student population was made up of 564 students, of which 307 were white, 158 Hispanic, 53 African American, 36 multiracial, and eight Asian students.
Data shows that 27.8% of Irene Clinkscale Elementary School’s multiracial students (10), 23.8% of its white students (73), 21.5% of its Hispanic students (34) and 15.1% of its African American students (8) 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 408 Irene Clinkscale Elementary School students – equivalent to 70% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 77%, marking a 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
