Of the 520 students at Nelson Elementary School in Denton, 405 (78%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to North Texas News’ analysis of STAAR scores from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The TEA considers students to be on track for college if they demonstrate mastery of the course content through the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Students who meet, but do not master their grade level are “prepared to progress to the next grade,” but not yet on college track.
In the 2023-24 school year, Nelson Elementary School’s student population was made up of 520 students, of which 210 were white, 184 Hispanic, 65 African American, and 25 Asian students.
Data shows that 36% of Nelson Elementary School’s Asian students (9), 27.6% of its white students (58), 18.5% of its African American students (12) and 12.5% of its Hispanic students (23) had “mastered” their grade level that year and were “on track for college and career readiness,” as measured by state academic standards.
In the 2022-23 school year, the TEA noted that 371 Nelson Elementary School students – equivalent to 72% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 78%, marking a 6% increase from the previous year.
A recent study by WalletHub classified Texas as one of the least-educated states in the U.S., ranking it 41st out of 50 in educational quality and student outcomes.
Underfunding is a frequently cited challenge facing the state’s school district. According to a 2024 report from the Texas Education Agency, per-pupil funding has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rates rising by more than 20% since then.
“As a result, many districts in our very own Central Texas region are being forced to cut back on essential programs, services, consider school closures, and adopt deficit budgets just to provide students with the education that they deserve,” Hutto ISD Trustee James Matlock stated in an interview.
| School | Total Students | % On College Track |
|---|---|---|
| Alice Moore Alexander | 578 | 7% |
| Bettye Myers Middle School | 834 | 13% |
| Blanton Elementary School | 516 | 37% |
| Borman Elementary School | 466 | 8% |
| Calhoun Middle School | 738 | 17% |
| Catherine Bell Elementary School | 612 | 9% |
| Cross Oaks Elementary School | 641 | 12% |
| Crownover Middle School | 808 | 25% |
| Denton High School | 2,054 | 15% |
| Dorothy P. Adkins Elementary School | 438 | 32% |
| Ep Rayzor Elementary School | 333 | 31% |
| Evers Park Elementary School | 689 | 17% |
| Fred Moore High School | 60 | 5% |
| Ginnings Elementary School | 621 | 7% |
| Guyer High School | 2,570 | 29% |
| Harpool Middle School | 778 | 39% |
| Hawk Elementary School | 656 | 32% |
| Hodge Elementary School | 645 | 8% |
| Houston Elementary School | 525 | 23% |
| McMath Middle School | 782 | 14% |
| McNair Elementary School | 565 | 28% |
| Navo Middle School | 735 | 13% |
| Nelson Elementary School | 520 | 22% |
| Nette Shultz | 699 | 27% |
| Newton Rayzor Elementary School | 604 | 18% |
| Paloma Creek Elementary School | 685 | 11% |
| Pecan Creek Elementary School | 643 | 22% |
| Providence Elementary School | 689 | 8% |
| Ray Braswell High School | 2,758 | 15% |
| Rivera Elementary School | 655 | 6% |
| Rodriguez Middle School | 635 | 12% |
| Ryan Elementary School | 674 | 27% |
| Ryan High School | 2,155 | 13% |
| Savannah Elementary School | 736 | 10% |
| Stephens Elementary School | 455 | 11% |
| Strickland Middle School | 962 | 15% |
| The Lagrone Academy | 181 | 19% |
| Union Park Elementary School | 816 | 14% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
