Quantcast

North Texas News

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Report: 38% of the 1,091 students at Pioneer Heritage Middle School not on "college track" in 2021-22 school year

Commissioner of education mike morath 2023

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education

Of the 1,091 students at Pioneer Heritage Middle School in Frisco, 415 (38%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to North Texas News' 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 Pioneer Heritage Middle 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, Pioneer Heritage Middle School's student population was made up of 1,091 students, of which 351 were Asian, 235 White, 43 Hispanic, 21 African American, and 20 Multiracial students.

Data shows that 78% (351) of Pioneer Heritage Middle School 450 Asian students, 54% (235) of its 437 white students, 52% (20) of its 39 multiracial students, 44% (43) of its 99 Hispanic students, and 33% (21) of its 64 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 466 Pioneer Heritage Middle School students - equivalent to 45% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 38%, marking a 7% 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.

Students On and Off College Track by Race at Pioneer Heritage Middle School in 2021-22 School Year

050100150200250300350AsianWhiteHispanicAfrican AmericanMultiracial3513519999235235202202434356562121434320201919On college trackNot on college track

Students on College Track by School in Frisco ISD in 2021-22 School Year

SchoolTotal Students% On College Track
Allen Elementary School80851%
Anderson Elementary School73535%
Ashley Elementary School65258%
Bledsoe Elementary School75254%
Boals Elementary School65663%
Borchardt Elementary School72739%
Bright Academy47372%
Carroll Elementary School61771%
Centennial High School2,06748%
Christie Elementary School39074%
Clark Middle School88763%
Cobb Middle School89561%
Comstock Elementary School66752%
Corbell Elementary School70364%
Curtsinger Elementary School58251%
Elliott Elementary School64874%
Emerson High School82869%
Fisher Elementary School53861%
Fowler Middle School96332%
Frisco High School1,93959%
Griffin Middle School78656%
Gunstream Elementary School58167%
Heritage High School2,05559%
Hosp Elementary School67353%
Hunt Middle School88155%
Independence High School1,81645%
Isbell Elementary School81551%
Lawler Middle School95323%
Lebanon Trail High School2,01950%
Liberty High School1,93547%
Liscano Elementary School68138%
Lone Star High School2,25370%
Maus Middle School92247%
McSpedden Elementary School70736%
Memorial High School1,97566%
Miller Elementary School80368%
Mooneyham Elementary School65956%
Nelson Middle School1,12632%
Newman Elementary School83545%
Nichols Elementary School72542%
Norris Elementary School70249%
Ogle Elementary School72262%
Pearson Middle School1,02140%
Phillips Elementary School69662%
Pink Elementary School65056%
Pioneer Heritage Middle School1,09138%
Purefoy Elementary School54247%
Reedy High School2,29950%
Riddle Elementary School75452%
Roach Middle School92949%
Robertson Elementary School67864%
Rogers Elementary School57779%
Scoggins Middle School1,10966%
Scott Elementary School67053%
Sem Elementary School72452%
Shawnee Trail Elementary School49575%
Smith Elementary School60264%
Sonntag Elementary School51367%
Sparks Elementary School71344%
Spears Elementary School78758%
Stafford Middle School95258%
Staley Middle School58074%
Tadlock Elementary School56563%
Talley Elementary School62933%
Taylor Elementary School76747%
Trent Middle School1,12957%
Vandeventer Middle School91941%
Vaughn Elementary School70052%
Wakeland High School2,09350%
Wester Middle School79951%
Source: Texas Education Agency.

!RECEIVE ALERTS

The next time we write about any of these orgs, we’ll email you a link to the story. You may edit your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Sign-up

DONATE

Help support the Metric Media Foundation's mission to restore community based news.
Donate

MORE NEWS