Tyler Reporter

Of the 568 students at H. L. Higgins Elementary School in Whitehouse, 381 (67%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Tyler Reporter'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 H. L. Higgins 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, H. L. Higgins Elementary School's student population was made up of 568 students, of which 145 were White, 21 Hispanic, 11 African American, 11 Multiracial, and one Asian students.

Data shows that 41% (11) of H. L. Higgins Elementary School 29 multiracial students, 37% (145) of its 392 white students, 26% (21) of its 84 Hispanic students, 23% (11) of its 48 African American students, and 15% of its 13 Asian 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 355 H. L. Higgins Elementary School students - equivalent to 68% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 67%, marking a 1% 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
Gus Winston Cain Elementary School	523	57%
H. L. Higgins Elementary School	568	67%
J. W. Holloway Sixth Grade School	381	62%
Mozelle Brown Elementary School	648	68%
Stanton-Smith Elementary School	506	51%
Whitehouse High School	1,513	71%
Whitehouse Junior High School	757	57%

Source: Texas Education Agency.