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Monday, November 4, 2024

2021-22 School Year: 91% of the 530 students at Amelia Elementary School not on "college track"

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 530 students at Amelia Elementary School in Beaumont, 483 (91%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to SE Texas Times' 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 Amelia Elementary 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, Amelia Elementary School's student population was made up of 530 students, of which 21 were African American, 12 Hispanic, eight White, three Asian, and two Multiracial students.

Data shows that 24% of Amelia Elementary School 34 white students, 23% of its 15 Asian students, 13% (12) of its 99 Hispanic students, 13% of its 17 multiracial students, and 6% (21) of its 365 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.

In 2020-21, the TEA noted that 532 Amelia Elementary School students - equivalent to 96% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 91%, marking a 5% 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 Amelia Elementary School in 2021-22 School Year

050100150200250300African AmericanHispanicWhiteMultiracialAsian212134434412128787882626221515331212On college trackNot on college track

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

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Amelia Elementary School53091%
Beaumont ISD Early College High School29379%
Beaumont United High School2,11796%
Blanchette Elementary School52392%
Caldwood Elementary School51693%
Charlton-Pollard Elementary School50193%
Curtis Elementary School52178%
Dishman Elementary School51487%
Dr. Mae E. Jones-Clark Elementary School49097%
Fehl-Price Elementary School45298%
Fletcher Elementary School45784%
Guess Elementary School56677%
Homer Dr. Elementary School58493%
Marshall Middle School75788%
Martin Elementary School51192%
Martin Luther King Middle School56696%
Odom Middle School72470%
Pathways Learning Center88100%
Paul A. Brown Alternative Center98100%
Pietzsch/Mac Arthur Elementary School98296%
Regina Howell Elementary School67871%
Smith Middle School53897%
Vincent Middle School78995%
West Brook Senior High School2,25691%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

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