Of the 467 students at Iltexas Garland Middle School in Garland, 392 (84%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to NE Dallas 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, Iltexas Garland Middle School’s student population was made up of 467 students, of which 321 were Hispanic, 66 African American, 36 Asian, 35 white, and six multiracial students.
Data shows that 36.1% of Iltexas Garland Middle School’s Asian students (13), 33.3% of its multiracial students (2), 20% of its white students (7), 16.7% of its African American students (11) and 12.8% of its Hispanic students (41) 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 394 Iltexas Garland Middle School students – equivalent to 84% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This continued with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 84%.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Iltexas Aggieland High School | 247 | 26% |
| Iltexas Arlington Elementary School | 669 | 7% |
| Iltexas Arlington Middle School | 398 | 13% |
| Iltexas Arlington-Grand Prairie High School | 757 | 11% |
| Iltexas College Station Elementary | 945 | 15% |
| Iltexas College Station Middle | 415 | 21% |
| Iltexas East Fort Worth Elementary School | 634 | 4% |
| Iltexas East Fort Worth Middle School | 320 | 5% |
| Iltexas Garland Elementary School | 941 | 14% |
| Iltexas Garland High School | 600 | 15% |
| Iltexas Garland Middle School | 467 | 16% |
| Iltexas Grand Prairie Elementary School | 931 | 8% |
| Iltexas Grand Prairie Middle School | 464 | 13% |
| Iltexas Houston Orem Elementary School | 733 | 3% |
| Iltexas Houston Orem Middle School | 410 | 5% |
| Iltexas Houston Windmill Lakes Elementary School | 802 | 4% |
| Iltexas Houston Windmill Lakes Middle School | 450 | 6% |
| Iltexas Houston Windmill Lakes Orem High School | 727 | 8% |
| Iltexas Katy Elementary School | 939 | 16% |
| Iltexas Katy Middle School | 435 | 15% |
| Iltexas Katy Westpark High School | 855 | 20% |
| Iltexas Keller Elementary School | 949 | 24% |
| Iltexas Keller Middle School | 435 | 28% |
| Iltexas Keller Saginaw High School | 809 | 14% |
| Iltexas Lancaster Desoto High School | 167 | 6% |
| Iltexas Lancaster Elementary School | 717 | 3% |
| Iltexas Lancaster Middle School | 383 | 4% |
| Iltexas North Richland Hills Elementary School | 766 | 6% |
| Iltexas North Richland Hills Middle School | 391 | 8% |
| Iltexas Saginaw Elementary School | 906 | 9% |
| Iltexas Saginaw Middle School | 377 | 13% |
| Iltexas Westpark Elementary School | 783 | 20% |
| Iltexas Westpark Middle School | 444 | 17% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
