Quantcast

South DFW News

Saturday, September 21, 2024

Report: 87% of the 702 students at Ad Wheat Middle School not on "college track" in 2021-22 school year

Commissioner of education mike morath 2023

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

Of the 702 students at Ad Wheat Middle School in Cleburne, 611 (87%) "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 Ad Wheat 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, Ad Wheat Middle School's student population was made up of 702 students, of which 58 were White, 29 Hispanic, two African American, two Multiracial, and one American Indian students.

Data shows that 19% (58) of Ad Wheat Middle School 309 white students, 10% (29) of its 296 Hispanic students, 10% of its four American Indian students, 8% of its 32 multiracial students, and 7% of its 38 African American 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.

For the past two years, from 2020-21 to 2021-22, none of Ad Wheat Middle School’s Pacific Islander students have met the college readiness benchmark in Mathematics or Reading.

In 2020-21, the TEA noted that 638 Ad Wheat Middle School students - equivalent to 91% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 87%, 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.

Students On and Off College Track by Race at Ad Wheat Middle School in 2021-22 School Year

050100150200250WhiteHispanicAfrican AmericanMultiracialPacific IslanderAmerican Indian585825125129292672672236362230300023231133On college trackNot on college track

Students on College Track by School in Cleburne ISD in 2021-22 School Year

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Ad Wheat Middle School70287%
Adams Elementary School42284%
Cleburne High School1,96185%
Coleman Elementary School51683%
Cooke Elementary School60986%
Gerard Elementary School51672%
Irving Elementary School48384%
Lowell Smith Junior Middle School90486%
Marti Elementary School49078%
Santa Fe Elementary School38185%
Team School5297%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

!RECEIVE ALERTS

The next time we write about any of these orgs, we’ll email you a link to the story. You may edit your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Sign-up

DONATE

Help support the Metric Media Foundation's mission to restore community based news.
Donate

MORE NEWS