Of the 600 students at Challenger Elementary School in Pearland, 360 (60%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to SE Houston 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, Challenger Elementary School’s student population was made up of 600 students, of which 169 were Hispanic, 157 white, 129 African American, 102 Asian, and 41 multiracial students.
Data shows that 68.6% of Challenger Elementary School’s Asian students (70), 42.7% of its white students (67), 36.6% of its multiracial students (15), 33.7% of its Hispanic students (57) and 23.3% of its African American students (30) 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 294 Challenger Elementary School students – equivalent to 52% 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 an 8% increase 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Middle School | 739 | 33% |
| Barbara Cockrell Elementary School | 766 | 38% |
| Berry Miller Junior High School | 824 | 51% |
| C. J. Harris Elementary School | 589 | 18% |
| Challenger Elementary School | 600 | 40% |
| E. A. Lawhon Elementary School | 811 | 27% |
| Glenda Dawson High School | 2,545 | 40% |
| H. C. Carleston Elementary School | 760 | 15% |
| Leon High Sablatura Middle School | 923 | 48% |
| Magnolia Elementary School | 667 | 37% |
| Massey Ranch Elementary School | 589 | 25% |
| Pace Center | 106 | 5% |
| Pearland High School | 3,395 | 29% |
| Pearland Junior High East | 814 | 35% |
| Pearland Junior High South | 813 | 28% |
| Pearland Junior High West | 932 | 52% |
| Robert Turner College and Career High School | 1,107 | 32% |
| Rogers Middle School | 741 | 42% |
| Rustic Oak Elementary School | 658 | 33% |
| Sam Jamison Middle School | 785 | 20% |
| Shadycrest Elementary School | 573 | 39% |
| Silvercrest Elementary School | 651 | 62% |
| Silverlake Elementary School | 656 | 50% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
