Mid City Times

Of the 1,052 students at Argyle Middle School in Argyle, 590 (56%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Mid City Times' 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 Argyle 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, Argyle Middle School's student population was made up of 1,052 students, of which 349 were White, 60 Hispanic, 22 Asian, 21 Multiracial, seven African American, and three American Indian students.

Data shows that 56% (22) of Argyle Middle School 41 Asian students, 46% (349) of its 760 white students, 45% (21) of its 48 multiracial students, 44% of its seven American Indian students, 36% (60) of its 169 Hispanic students, and 30% of its 25 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 603 Argyle Middle School students - equivalent to 65% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 56%, marking a 9% 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
Argyle High School	1,342	60%
Argyle Intermediate School	329	41%
Argyle Middle School	1,052	56%
Argyle West	903	61%
Hilltop Elementary School	688	51%

Source: Texas Education Agency.