West RGV News

Of the 542 students at Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School in Mission, 450 (83%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to West RGV 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 Olivero Garza Sr. 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, Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School's student population was made up of 542 students, of which 94 were Hispanic and one White students.

Data shows that 18% (94) of Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School 526 Hispanic students, and 13% of its 12 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 542 Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School students - equivalent to 95% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 83%, marking a 12% 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
B. L. Gray Junior High School	726	57%
Donna Wernecke Elementary School	686	74%
Harry Shimotsu Elementary School	659	57%
Jessie L. Jensen Elementary School	527	80%
John High Shary Elementary School	628	72%
Lloyd & Dolly Bentsen Elementary School	563	66%
Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School	542	83%
Romulo D. Martinez Elementary School	499	69%
Ruben Hinojosa Elementary School	442	64%
Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy	452	65%
Sharyland High School	1,490	77%
Sharyland North Junior High School	849	65%
Sharyland Pioneer High School	1,418	79%

Source: Texas Education Agency.