TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education
TX Commissioner of Education Mike Morath 2023 | State Board for Education
Primary data on overall student readiness in Santa Maria Academic Academy-Options Campus (6-12) 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.
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.
For the past two years, from 2020-21 to 2021-22, none of Santa Maria Academic Academy-Options Campus (6-12)’s Hispanic students have met the college readiness benchmark in Mathematics or Reading.
In 2020-21, the TEA noted that all of Santa Maria Academic Academy-Options Campus (6-12) students were on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 100%.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria Academic Academy-Options Campus (6-12) | 13 | 100% |
| Santa Maria High School | 153 | 92% |
| Santa Maria Middle School | 122 | 94% |
| Tony Gonzalez Elementary School | 255 | 84% |
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