Of the 984 students at Smithson Valley Middle School in New Braunfels, 590 (60%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to San Antonio Corridor 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, Smithson Valley Middle School’s student population was made up of 984 students, of which 590 were white, 302 Hispanic, 55 multiracial, 19 Asian, and 16 African American students.
Data shows that 45.9% of Smithson Valley Middle School’s white students (271), 36.8% of its Asian students (7), 36.4% of its multiracial students (20), 30.8% of its Hispanic students (93) and 25% of its African American students (4) 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 566 Smithson Valley Middle School students – equivalent to 61% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 60%, marking a 1% decrease 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Arlon R. Seay Elementary School | 610 | 24% |
| Bill Brown Elementary School | 773 | 44% |
| Canyon High School | 2,400 | 19% |
| Canyon Lake High School | 1,011 | 24% |
| Canyon Middle School | 1,198 | 14% |
| Church Hill Middle School | 753 | 32% |
| Clear Spring Elementary School | 669 | 17% |
| Comal Academy | 41 | 10% |
| Danville Middle School | 919 | 26% |
| Davenport High School | 1,281 | 26% |
| Freiheit Elementary School | 649 | 19% |
| Garden Ridge Elementary School | 483 | 43% |
| Goodwin Frazier Elementary School | 642 | 22% |
| Hill Country College Prep High School | 174 | 61% |
| Hoffmann Lane Elementary School | 711 | 53% |
| Indian Springs Elementary School | 694 | 40% |
| Johnson Ranch Elementary School | 997 | 38% |
| Kinder Ranch Elementary School | 605 | 36% |
| Memorial Early College High School with St. Philip’s | 307 | 48% |
| Mh Specht Elementary School | 764 | 30% |
| Morningside Elementary School | 643 | 20% |
| Mt. Valley Elementary School | 475 | 30% |
| Mt. Valley Middle School | 834 | 30% |
| Oak Creek Elementary School | 808 | 26% |
| Pieper High School | 1,957 | 31% |
| Pieper Ranch Middle School | 1,629 | 35% |
| Rahe Bulverde Elementary School | 583 | 44% |
| Rebecca Creek Elementary School | 596 | 40% |
| Smithson Valley High School | 2,056 | 30% |
| Smithson Valley Middle School | 984 | 40% |
| Spring Branch Middle School | 616 | 33% |
| Startzville Elementary School | 460 | 20% |
| Timberwood Park Elementary School | 730 | 41% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
