Hill Country Chronicle

Of the 577 students at Marble Falls Elementary School in Marble Falls, 456 (79%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Hill Country Chronicle'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 Marble Falls 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, Marble Falls Elementary School's student population was made up of 577 students, of which 71 were White, 31 Hispanic, five Asian, three Multiracial, and two African American students.

Data shows that 33% of Marble Falls Elementary School 17 Asian students, 25% (71) of its 287 white students, 16% of its 24 multiracial students, 14% (31) of its 224 Hispanic students, and 13% of its 23 African American 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 448 Marble Falls Elementary School students - equivalent to 79% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 79%.

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
Colt Elementary School	573	75%
Falls Career High School	38	96%
Highland Lakes Elementary School	509	90%
Marble Falls Elementary School	577	79%
Marble Falls High School	1,190	83%
Marble Falls Middle School	906	83%
Spicewood Elementary School	202	59%

Source: Texas Education Agency.