Of the 324 students at Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School in Odessa, 239 (74%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to Petroplex 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, Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School’s student population was made up of 324 students, of which 262 were Hispanic, 41 white, and 12 African American students.
Data shows that 31.7% of Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School’s white students (13), 26% of its Hispanic students (68) and 8.3% of its African American students (1) 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 225 Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School students – equivalent to 71% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 74%, marking a 3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alter Education Center | 98 | 0% |
| Austin Montessori Magnet | 553 | 11% |
| Barbara Jordan Elementary School | 886 | 11% |
| Blanton Elementary School | 522 | 13% |
| Bonham Middle School | 870 | 9% |
| Bowie Middle School | 872 | 10% |
| Burleson Elementary School | 381 | 5% |
| Burnet Elementary School | 340 | 6% |
| Cameron Dual Language Magnet | 590 | 16% |
| Crockett Middle School | 1,019 | 10% |
| Dowling Elementary School | 594 | 7% |
| Ector College Prep Success Academy | 1,369 | 16% |
| Edward K. Downing Elementary School | 807 | 4% |
| Elementary Magnet at Blackshear | 693 | 11% |
| Elementary Magnet at Hays | 497 | 26% |
| Elementary Magnet at Milam Elementary School | 605 | 15% |
| Elementary Magnet at Reagan Elementary School | 662 | 50% |
| Elementary Magnet at Travis | 292 | 8% |
| G. E. ‘Buddy’ West Elementary School | 683 | 9% |
| Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School | 324 | 26% |
| George H. W. Bush New Tech Odessa | 448 | 16% |
| Goliad Elementary School | 616 | 6% |
| Gonzales Elementary School | 477 | 7% |
| Ireland Elementary School | 424 | 9% |
| L. B. Johnson Elementary School | 510 | 12% |
| Lauro Cavazos Elementary School | 674 | 4% |
| Lee Buice Elementary School | 821 | 11% |
| Murry Fly Elementary School | 1,089 | 11% |
| Nimitz Middle School | 1,312 | 14% |
| Noel Elementary School | 490 | 9% |
| Odessa Career and Technical Early College High School | 395 | 18% |
| Odessa Collegiate Academy Early College High School | 460 | 30% |
| Odessa High School | 3,767 | 4% |
| Permian High School | 4,119 | 7% |
| Ross Elementary School | 422 | 12% |
| Sam Houston Elementary School | 412 | 7% |
| San Jacinto Elementary School | 375 | 19% |
| Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School | 1,193 | 14% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
