South DFW News

Of the 904 students at Lowell Smith Junior Middle School in Cleburne, 778 (86%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to South DFW News' 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 Lowell Smith Junior Middle School 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, Lowell Smith Junior Middle School's student population was made up of 904 students, of which 84 were White, 32 Hispanic, seven Multiracial, two African American, one Pacific Islander, one American Indian, and one Asian students.

Data shows that 23% of Lowell Smith Junior Middle School 32 multiracial students, 19% (84) of its 445 white students, 9% (32) of its 364 Hispanic students, 8% of its four Asian students, 7% of its six American Indian students, 6% of its 35 African American students, and 5% of its 18 Pacific Islander 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 774 Lowell Smith Junior Middle School students - equivalent to 90% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 86%, marking a 4% 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
Ad Wheat Middle School	702	87%
Adams Elementary School	422	84%
Cleburne High School	1,961	85%
Coleman Elementary School	516	83%
Cooke Elementary School	609	86%
Gerard Elementary School	516	72%
Irving Elementary School	483	84%
Lowell Smith Junior Middle School	904	86%
Marti Elementary School	490	78%
Santa Fe Elementary School	381	85%
Team School	52	97%

Source: Texas Education Agency.