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Saturday, April 27, 2024

2021-22 School Year: 86% of the 66 students at Elvis Junior Ballew High 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 66 students at Elvis Junior Ballew High School in Pharr, 57 (86%) "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 Elvis Junior Ballew High 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, Elvis Junior Ballew High School's student population was made up of 66 students, of which nine were Hispanic students.

Data shows that 14% of Elvis Junior Ballew High School 65 Hispanic 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 171 Elvis Junior Ballew High School students - equivalent to 89% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 86%, marking a 3% 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 Elvis Junior Ballew High School in 2021-22 School Year

01020304050Hispanic995656On college trackNot on college track

Students on College Track by School in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD in 2021-22 School Year

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Aida C. Escobar Elementary School61470%
Alamo Middle School67784%
Alfred Sorensen Elementary School57072%
Allen & William Arnold Elementary School56778%
Amanda Garza-Pena Elementary School52884%
Arnoldo Cantu Senior Elementary School53971%
Audie Murphy Middle School78381%
Augusto Guerra Elementary School60485%
Austin Middle School1,00477%
Berta School Palacios Elementary51083%
Carmen Anaya Elementary School42570%
Cesar Chavez Elementary School38678%
Daniel Ramirez Elementary School46583%
Dr. William Long Elementary School78078%
Drs Reed - Mock Elementary School49478%
Edith & Ethel Carman Elementary School60579%
Elvis Junior Ballew High School6686%
Geraldine Palmer Elementary School58776%
Graciela Garcia Elementary School36880%
Henry Ford Elementary School61885%
Jaime Escalante Middle School53983%
John Doedyns Elementary School44985%
John McKeever Elementary School71781%
Kelly-Pharr Elementary School67178%
Kennedy Middle School56977%
Liberty Middle School76280%
Lyndon B. Johnson Middle School1,07279%
Marcia R. Garza52880%
PSJA Sonia M. Sotomayor High School61100%
Psja Early College High School2,49385%
Psja Memorial Early College High School1,82384%
Psja North Early College High School2,11987%
Psja Southwest Early College High School1,70383%
Psja Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School57681%
R. Yzaguirre Middle School78881%
Raul Longoria Elementary School57285%
Santos Livas Elementary School51084%
Sgt Leonel Trevino Elementary School42383%
Vida N. Clover Elementary School42585%
Zeferino Farias Elementary School51088%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

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