East Houston News

Of the 953 students at Gentry Junior High School in Baytown, 734 (77%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to East Houston 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 Gentry 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, Gentry Junior High School's student population was made up of 953 students, of which 127 were Hispanic, 62 White, 20 African American, eight Asian, and one Multiracial students.

Data shows that 72% of Gentry Junior High School 12 Asian students, 30% (62) of its 209 white students, 23% (127) of its 556 Hispanic students, 14% of its 13 multiracial students, and 13% (20) of its 159 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 1,003 Gentry Junior High School 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 77%, 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.

School	Total Students	% On College Track
Alamo Elementary School	796	74%
Ashbel Smith Elementary School	602	81%
Banuelos Elementary School	933	80%
Baytown Junior High School	803	81%
Carver Elementary School	653	86%
Cedar Bayou Junior High School	978	78%
Clark Elementary School	743	76%
Crockett Elementary School	689	74%
De Zavala Elementary School	662	74%
E. F. Green Junior School	966	75%
Gentry Junior High School	953	77%
Goose Creek Memorial	2,154	81%
Harlem Elementary School	718	81%
Highlands Elementary School	723	82%
Highlands Junior High School	1,002	83%
Horace Mann Junior High School	879	80%
Impact Early College High School	414	67%
James Bowie Elementary School	732	83%
Lamar Elementary School	599	75%
Lee High School	1,805	87%
Peter E. Hyland Center	147	98%
San Jacinto Elementary School	397	77%
Stephen F. Austin Elementary School	794	80%
Sterling High School	2,013	81%
Stuart Career Tech High School	414	84%
Travis Elementary School	925	83%
Victoria Walker Elementary School	770	74%

Source: Texas Education Agency.