Of the 316 students at Beaumont ISD Early College High School in Beaumont, 233 (74%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to SE Texas Times’ 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, Beaumont ISD Early College High School’s student population was made up of 316 students, of which 203 were Hispanic, 72 African American, 25 white, eight multiracial, and eight Asian students.
Data shows that 75% of Beaumont ISD Early College High School’s multiracial students (6), 62.5% of its Asian students (5), 44% of its white students (11), 22.2% of its African American students (16) and 20.7% of its Hispanic students (42) 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 239 Beaumont ISD Early College High School students – equivalent to 80% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 74%, marking a 6% decrease 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amelia Elementary School | 538 | 4% |
| Beaumont ISD Early College High School | 316 | 26% |
| Beaumont United High School | 2,069 | 4% |
| Blanchette Elementary School | 542 | 4% |
| Caldwood Elementary School | 608 | 6% |
| Charlton-Pollard Elementary School | 507 | 6% |
| Curtis Elementary School | 555 | 19% |
| Dishman Elementary School | 515 | 7% |
| Dr. Mae E. Jones-Clark Elementary School | 640 | 3% |
| Fehl-Price Elementary School | 478 | 1% |
| Fletcher Elementary School | 494 | 15% |
| Guess Elementary School | 720 | 8% |
| Homer Dr. Elementary School | 483 | 3% |
| Jefferson County Youth Academy | 6 | 0% |
| Marshall Middle School | 665 | 10% |
| Martin Elementary School | 521 | 4% |
| Martin Luther King Middle School | 502 | 3% |
| Odom Middle School | 802 | 18% |
| Pathways Learning Center | 152 | 0% |
| Paul A. Brown Alternative Center | 174 | 0% |
| Pietzsch/Mac Arthur Elementary School | 1,020 | 3% |
| Regina Howell Elementary School | 758 | 26% |
| Smith Middle School | 407 | 3% |
| Vincent Middle School | 614 | 6% |
| West Brook Senior High School | 2,177 | 7% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
