Longview Times

Of the 14,214 students at Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville in Hallsville, 13,077 (92%) "weren't on the academic track to qualify for college in the 2021-22 school year, according to Longview 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 Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville 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, Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville's student population was made up of 14,214 students, of which 545 were Hispanic, 360 White, 120 African American, 77 Asian, 50 Multiracial, four American Indian, and two Pacific Islander students.

Data shows that 30% (77) of Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville 259 Asian students, 12% of its 19 Pacific Islander students, 9% (360) of its 4,002 white students, 8% (545) of its 6,820 Hispanic students, 8% (50) of its 627 multiracial students, 7% of its 70 American Indian students, and 5% (120) of its 2,417 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 9,717 Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville students - equivalent to 93% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2021-22, where the percentage stood at 92%, marking a 1% 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
Hallsville East Elementary School	781	74%
Hallsville High School	1,421	72%
Hallsville Intermediate School	722	60%
Hallsville Junior High School	1,126	65%
Hallsville North Elementary School	708	63%
Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville	14,214	92%

Source: Texas Education Agency.