Tyler Reporter

Of the 481 students at Rusk Junior High School in Rusk, 371 (77%) "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 Rusk Junior 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, Rusk Junior High School's student population was made up of 481 students, of which 71 were White, 24 Hispanic, six African American, and six Multiracial students.

Data shows that 25% of Rusk Junior High School 27 multiracial students, 24% (24) of its 100 Hispanic students, 24% (71) of its 298 white students, and 12% of its 55 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 374 Rusk Junior High School students - equivalent to 82% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 77%, marking a 5% 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
Rusk Elementary School	256	74%
Rusk High School	594	83%
Rusk Intermediate School	285	80%
Rusk Junior High School	481	77%

Source: Texas Education Agency.