Ft Worth Times

Of the 636 students at Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove in Fort Worth, 503 (79%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Ft Worth Times' 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 Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove 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, Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove's student population was made up of 636 students, of which 61 were White, 43 Hispanic, 17 African American, five Multiracial, and four Asian students.

Data shows that 67% of Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove six Asian students, 27% (61) of its 228 white students, 18% (43) of its 239 Hispanic students, 17% (17) of its 103 African American students, and 9% of its 58 multiracial 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 496 Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove students - equivalent to 81% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 79%, marking a 2% 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
Academy at Nola Dunn	656	66%
Ann Brock Elementary at Oak Grove	636	79%
Burleson Centennial High School	2,063	82%
Burleson Collegiate High School	213	62%
Burleson High School	1,732	80%
Crossroads High School	75	97%
Frazier Elementary School	570	73%
Game Development Design School at Burleson ISD	313	72%
Hughes Middle School	1,059	82%
Irene Clinkscale Elementary School	553	65%
Jack Taylor Elementary School	496	80%
Judy Hajek Elementary School	555	67%
Mound Elementary School	415	66%
Nick Kerr Middle School	1,247	76%
Norwood Elementary School	538	75%
Richard Bransom Elementary School	574	74%
Steam Middle School	515	59%
William Stribling Elementary School	482	64%

Source: Texas Education Agency.