El Paso Standard

Of the 574 students at Charles Middle School in El Paso, 442 (77%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to El Paso Standard's 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 Charles 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, Charles Middle School's student population was made up of 574 students, of which 95 were Hispanic, 18 White, 10 African American, four Multiracial, two Asian, and one Pacific Islander students.

Data shows that 50% of Charles Middle School four Asian students, 35% of its 12 multiracial students, 34% (18) of its 53 white students, 24% (10) of its 44 African American students, 21% (95) of its 456 Hispanic students, and 13% of its four 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 514 Charles Middle School students - equivalent to 88% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 77%, marking an 11% 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
Andress High School	1,490	91%
Aoy Elementary School	246	82%
Armendariz Middle School	374	92%
Austin High School	1,262	94%
Barron Elementary School	371	80%
Bassett Middle School	595	89%
Bliss Elementary School	509	78%
Bowie High School	1,242	96%
Brown Middle School	847	80%
Burges High School	1,519	86%
Canyon Hills Middle School	596	88%
Chapin High School	1,687	87%
Charles Middle School	574	77%
Cielo Vista Elementary School	278	68%
Clardy Elementary School	489	90%
Clendenin Elementary School	400	81%
Coach Archie Duran Elementary School	735	81%
Coldwell Elementary School	482	79%
Colin L. Powell Elementary School	534	81%
College Career Technology Academy (Ccta)	164	96%
Collins Elementary School	354	73%
Cooley Elementary School	409	84%
Coronado High School	2,508	80%
Crockett Elementary School	452	83%
Delta Academy	37	100%
Don Haskins PK-8	1,599	80%
Douglass Elementary School	501	86%
Dr. Joseph Torres Elementary School	608	77%
El Paso High School	1,586	83%
Franklin High School	3,107	81%
General Douglas Macarthur PK-8	885	76%
Green Elementary School	380	72%
Guerrero Elementary School	443	76%
Guillen Middle School	496	93%
H. R. Moye Elementary School	320	89%
Hart Elementary School	395	89%
Hawkins Elementary School	283	77%
Henderson Middle School	672	89%
Hillside Elementary School	426	80%
Hornedo Middle School	1,260	59%
Hughey Elementary School	569	63%
Irvin High School	1,092	94%
Jefferson High School	1,168	92%
Johnson Elementary School	312	87%
Kohlberg Elementary School	438	73%
Lamar Elementary School	294	72%
Logan Elementary School	523	82%
Magoffin Middle School	578	89%
Marguerite Junior Lundy Elementary School	683	56%
Mesita Elementary School	944	73%
Milam Elementary School	811	65%
Morehead Middle School	462	87%
Moreno Elementary School	360	81%
Newman Elementary School	331	84%
Nixon Elementary School	639	84%
Park Elementary School	410	79%
Polk Elementary School	620	59%
Putnam Elementary School	298	75%
Richardson Middle School	677	78%
Rivera Elementary School	275	77%
Ross Middle School	730	79%
Rusk Elementary School	239	83%
Silva Health Magnet	585	64%
Stanton Elementary School	372	88%
Sunrise Mountain Elementary School	509	84%
Terrace Hills Middle School	418	86%
Tippin Elementary School	620	52%
Tom Lea Junior Elementary School	814	74%
Transmountain Early College High School	378	63%
Travis Elementary School	240	86%
Western Hills Elementary School	324	70%
Whitaker Elementary School	349	74%
Wiggs Middle School	821	68%
William C. Herrera Elementary School	561	79%
Young Women's Steam Research & Preparatory Academy	435	76%
Zach White Elementary School	375	72%
Zavala Elementary School	306	82%

Source: Texas Education Agency.