Longview Times

Of the 116 students in Tatum ISD's schools, 55 (47.4%) weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2020-21 school year, according to Longview Times' analysis of test scores from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

In the 2019-20 school year, the TEA noted that 24 students at Tatum ISD Schools - equivalent to 25.5% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with the 2020-21 school year, where the percentage stood at 47.4%, marking a 21.9% increase from the previous year.

Data shows that 64% (16) of Tatum ISD's 25 African American students, 51.9% (27) of its 52 white students, and 48.6% (18) of its 37 Hispanic students had "mastered" their grade level in the 2020-21 school year and were "on track for college and career readiness," as measured by state academic standards.

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 Tatum ISD 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.

The TEA says students who meet their grade level, but haven't mastered their grade level are "prepared to progress to the next grade," but are not on a college track.

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.

Race	Number of Students	% of Students On College Track	% of Total Student Population
White	27	44.3	23.3
Hispanic	18	29.5	15.5
African American	16	26.2	13.8

Source: Texas Education Agency.