Of the 594 students at Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School in Penitas, 516 (87%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to West RGV News’ 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, Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School’s student population was made up of 594 students, of which 594 were Hispanic students.
Data shows that 13% of Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School’s Hispanic students (77) 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 576 Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School students – equivalent to 88% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 87%, marking a 1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Richards Middle School | 736 | 24% |
| Cesar Chavez Middle School | 653 | 20% |
| Corina Pena Elementary School | 517 | 15% |
| Diaz-Villarreal Elementary School | 584 | 24% |
| Domingo Trevino Middle School | 594 | 20% |
| Dr. Americo Paredes Elementary School | 458 | 14% |
| Dr. Javier Saenz Middle School | 594 | 13% |
| Dr. Maria Palmira Mendiola Elementary School | 601 | 14% |
| E. B. Reyna Elementary School | 549 | 26% |
| Elodia R. Chapa Elementary School | 481 | 12% |
| Emiliano Zapata Elementary School | 549 | 12% |
| Enrique Kiki Camarena Elementary School | 751 | 24% |
| Evangelina Garza Elementary School | 416 | 11% |
| Guillermo Flores Elementary School | 464 | 20% |
| Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary School | 429 | 20% |
| Irene M. Garcia Middle School | 625 | 25% |
| Jimmy Carter Early College High School | 362 | 27% |
| John F. Kennedy Elementary School | 661 | 18% |
| Jose De Escandon Elementary School | 668 | 19% |
| Juan De Dios Salinas Middle School | 665 | 19% |
| Juan Seguin Elementary School | 584 | 10% |
| Juarez-Lincoln High School | 1,974 | 8% |
| La Joya High School | 2,624 | 8% |
| La Joya Palmview High School | 2,153 | 9% |
| Leo Junior Leo Elementary School | 345 | 19% |
| Lloyd M. Bentsen Elementary School | 529 | 28% |
| Lorenzo De Zavala Middle School | 608 | 18% |
| Memorial Middle School | 658 | 24% |
| Narciso Cavazos | 476 | 14% |
| Patricio Perez Elementary School | 418 | 17% |
| Rosendo Benavides Elementary School | 248 | 8% |
| Sam Fordyce Elementary School | 449 | 27% |
| Tabasco Elementary School | 578 | 22% |
| Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School | 439 | 29% |
| William Junior Clinton Elementary School | 504 | 17% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
