El Paso Standard

Of the 865 students at Desert Hills Elementary School in El Paso, 701 (81%) "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 Desert Hills 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, Desert Hills Elementary School's student population was made up of 865 students, of which 155 were Hispanic, five White, and one African American students.

Data shows that 19% (155) of Desert Hills Elementary School 818 Hispanic students, 18% of its nine African American students, and 18% of its 33 white 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 808 Desert Hills Elementary School students - equivalent to 94% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 81%, marking a 13% 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
Carroll T. Welch Elementary School	642	89%
Clint High School	733	85%
Clint ISD Early College Academy	327	68%
Clint Junior High School	549	86%
Desert Hills Elementary School	865	81%
East Montana Middle School	580	86%
Frank Macias Elementary School	989	91%
Horizon High School	1,640	91%
Horizon Middle School	677	85%
Montana Vista Elementary School	510	82%
Mountain View High School	812	88%
Red Sands Elementary School	613	86%
Ricardo Estrada Middle School	598	87%
William David Surratt Elementary School	920	85%

Source: Texas Education Agency.