Of the 428 students at Judson Early College Academy in Live Oak, 295 (69%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to North San Antonio 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, Judson Early College Academy’s student population was made up of 428 students, of which 245 were Hispanic, 88 African American, 63 white, 18 Asian, and 13 multiracial students.
Data shows that 55.6% of Judson Early College Academy’s Asian students (10), 39.7% of its white students (25), 29.8% of its Hispanic students (73), 25% of its African American students (22) and 7.7% of its multiracial students (1) 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 280 Judson Early College Academy students – equivalent to 68% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 69%, marking a 1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bexar County JJAEP | 5 | 0% |
| Candlewood Elementary School | 469 | 6% |
| Converse Elementary School | 507 | 7% |
| Copperfield Elementary School | 760 | 9% |
| Coronado Village Elementary School | 362 | 12% |
| Crestview Elementary School | 594 | 25% |
| Education Franz Elementary School | 372 | 12% |
| Elolf Elementary School | 599 | 11% |
| Escondido Elementary School | 780 | 8% |
| Henry Metzger Middle School | 907 | 8% |
| Hopkins Elementary School | 763 | 5% |
| James L. Masters | 653 | 9% |
| Judson Care Academy | 98 | 5% |
| Judson Early College Academy | 428 | 31% |
| Judson High School | 2,527 | 7% |
| Judson Learning Academy | 82 | 4% |
| Judson Middle School | 1,207 | 12% |
| Karen Wagner High School | 2,218 | 11% |
| Kirby Middle School | 637 | 5% |
| Kitty Hawk Middle School | 1,154 | 14% |
| Mary Lou Hartman | 656 | 9% |
| Miller Point Elementary School | 567 | 7% |
| Olympia Elementary School | 456 | 22% |
| Park Village Elementary School | 400 | 5% |
| Ricardo Salinas Elementary School | 691 | 14% |
| Rolling Meadows Elementary School | 689 | 16% |
| Spring Meadows Elementary School | 678 | 12% |
| Veterans Memorial High School | 1,687 | 13% |
| William Paschall Elementary School | 706 | 8% |
| Woodlake Elementary School | 686 | 5% |
| Woodlake Hills Middle School | 749 | 10% |
| Wortham Oaks Elementary School | 721 | 28% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
