North Austin News

Of the 493 students at Jubilee Wells Branch in San Antonio, 415 (84%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to North Austin 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 Jubilee Wells Branch 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, Jubilee Wells Branch's student population was made up of 493 students, of which 25 were African American, 21 Hispanic, 19 White, six Multiracial, three Asian, and one American Indian students.

Data shows that 33% of Jubilee Wells Branch six American Indian students, 28% of its 13 Asian students, 22% (19) of its 87 white students, 20% of its 33 multiracial students, 16% (25) of its 157 African American students, and 11% (21) of its 197 Hispanic 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 509 Jubilee Wells Branch students - equivalent to 90% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 84%, marking a 6% 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
Jubilee - Lake View University Prep	504	96%
Jubilee Academies Middle School	131	92%
Jubilee Brownsville	1,041	88%
Jubilee Harlingen	396	81%
Jubilee Highland Hills	785	88%
Jubilee Highland Park	270	86%
Jubilee Kingsville	288	86%
Jubilee Leadership Academy	195	82%
Jubilee Living Way	369	78%
Jubilee San Antonio	947	94%
Jubilee Sendero	112	89%
Jubilee Wells Branch	493	84%
Jubilee Westwood	233	89%

Source: Texas Education Agency.