East RGV News

Of the 850 students at Idea Academy San Benito in San Benito, 578 (68%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to East RGV 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 Idea Academy San Benito 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, Idea Academy San Benito's student population was made up of 850 students, of which 254 were Hispanic students.

Data shows that 32% (254) of Idea Academy San Benito 796 Hispanic 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 743 Idea Academy San Benito students - equivalent to 84% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 68%, marking a 16% 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
Idea Academy	768	79%
Idea Academy Alamo	779	79%
Idea Academy Mission	850	80%
Idea Academy Pharr	813	77%
Idea Academy San Benito	850	68%
Idea Academy San Juan	777	80%
Idea Academy Weslaco	668	76%
Idea Achieve Academy	517	73%
Idea Achieve College Preparatory	293	74%
Idea Amber Creek College Preparatory	65	66%
Idea Bluff Springs Academy	675	74%
Idea Bluff Springs College Preparatory	658	80%
Idea Brackenridge Academy	827	75%
Idea Brackenridge College Preparatory	502	79%
Idea Brownsville Academy	694	67%
Idea Brownsville College Preparatory	738	70%
Idea Burke Academy	667	65%
Idea Burke College Preparatory	332	71%
Idea Carver Academy	629	63%
Idea Carver College Preparatory	695	57%
Idea College Prep	716	77%
Idea College Prep Weslaco	749	73%
Idea College Preparatory Alamo	736	75%
Idea College Preparatory Mission	779	76%
Idea College Preparatory Pharr	796	80%
Idea College Preparatory San Benito	763	72%
Idea College Preparatory San Juan	736	82%
Idea Converse College Preparatory	192	64%
Idea Eastside Academy	567	84%
Idea Eastside College Preparatory	626	77%
Idea Edgecliff Academy	564	77%
Idea Edgecliff College Preparatory	239	67%
Idea Edgemere Academy	973	69%
Idea Edgemere College Preparatory	469	71%
Idea Edinburg Academy	787	76%
Idea Edinburg College Preparatory	732	74%
Idea Elsa Academy	672	77%
Idea Elsa College Preparatory	443	81%
Idea Ewing Halsell Academy	840	69%
Idea Ewing Halsell College Preparatory	461	80%
Idea Frontier Academy	821	69%
Idea Frontier College Preparatory	763	71%
Idea Hardy Academy	591	88%
Idea Hardy College Preparatory	265	80%
Idea Harlingen Academy	400	67%
Idea Harlingen College Preparatory	180	76%
Idea Health Professions Academy	341	87%
Idea Health Professions College Preparatory	255	84%
Idea Hidden Meadow College Preparatory	149	72%
Idea Horizon Vista Academy	562	77%
Idea Horizon Vista College Preparatory	194	70%
Idea Ingram Hills Academy	635	66%
Idea Ingram Hills College Preparatory	341	78%
Idea Judson Academy	694	76%
Idea Judson College Preparatory	653	77%
Idea Kyle Academy	714	80%
Idea Kyle College Preparatory	450	76%
Idea La Joya College Preparatory	81	85%
Idea Lake Houston College Preparatory	123	78%
Idea Los Encinos Academy	595	73%
Idea Los Encinos College Preparatory	367	67%
Idea Mays Academy	674	65%
Idea Mays College Preparatory	617	65%
Idea McAllen Academy	858	70%
Idea McAllen College Preparatory	751	65%
Idea Mesa Hills Academy	611	80%
Idea Mesa Hills College Preparatory	302	67%
Idea Mesquite Hills College Preparatory	99	73%
Idea Monterrey Park Academy	675	78%
Idea Monterrey Park College Preparatory	692	76%
Idea Montopolis Academy	706	78%
Idea Montopolis College Preparatory	780	76%
Idea Najim Academy	704	78%
Idea Najim College Preparatory	273	69%
Idea North Mission Academy	870	71%
Idea North Mission College Preparatory	739	80%
Idea Owassa Academy	674	73%
Idea Owassa College Preparatory	390	77%
Idea Palmview Academy	439	89%
Idea Palmview College Preparatory	153	73%
Idea Parmer Park Academy	615	84%
Idea Parmer Park College Preparatory	319	81%
Idea Pflugerville Academy	630	76%
Idea Pflugerville College Preparatory	474	75%
Idea Quest Academy	730	62%
Idea Quest College Preparatory	688	61%
Idea Rio Grande City Academy	812	75%
Idea Rio Grande City College Preparatory	485	81%
Idea Rio Vista Academy	874	79%
Idea Rio Vista College Preparatory	335	74%
Idea Rise Academy	529	80%
Idea Rise College Preparatory	343	56%
Idea Riverview Academy	811	73%
Idea Riverview College Preparatory	804	68%
Idea Robindale Academy	567	81%
Idea Robindale College Preparatory	346	75%
Idea Round Rock Tech Academy	554	70%
Idea Round Rock Tech College Preparatory	197	59%
Idea Rundberg Academy	682	79%
Idea Rundberg College Preparatory	762	70%
Idea South Flores Academy	841	64%
Idea South Flores College Preparatory	712	70%
Idea Southeast College Preparatory	116	77%
Idea Spears Academy	610	91%
Idea Spears College Preparatory	254	77%
Idea Sports Park Academy	343	76%
Idea Sports Park College Preparatory	220	82%
Idea Toros College Preparatory	264	80%
Idea Tres Lagos Academy	816	76%
Idea Tres Lagos College Preparatory	480	75%
Idea Walzem Academy	666	77%
Idea Walzem College Preparatory	709	78%
Idea Weslaco Pike Academy	840	64%
Idea Weslaco Pike College Preparatory	737	72%
Idea Yukon College Preparatory	122	72%

Source: Texas Education Agency.