Of the 756 students at Canyon Pointe Elementary School in Tomball, 468 (62%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to NW 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, Canyon Pointe Elementary School’s student population was made up of 756 students, of which 399 were Hispanic, 229 white, 54 Asian, 46 multiracial, 23 African American, and five American Indian students.
Data shows that 79.6% of Canyon Pointe Elementary School’s Asian students (43), 52% of its white students (119), 40% of its American Indian students (2), 41.3% of its multiracial students (19) and 22.8% of its Hispanic students (91) 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 423 Canyon Pointe Elementary School students – equivalent to 54% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 62%, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Canyon Pointe Elementary School | 756 | 38% |
| Creekside Forest Elementary School | 691 | 67% |
| Creekside Park Junior High School | 1,172 | 51% |
| Creekview Elementary School | 903 | 49% |
| Decker Prairie Elementary School | 693 | 28% |
| Grand Lakes Junior High School | 984 | 40% |
| Grand Oaks Elementary School | 977 | 37% |
| Lakewood Elementary School | 728 | 37% |
| Northpointe Intermediate School | 788 | 40% |
| Oakcrest Intermediate School | 827 | 42% |
| Rosehill Elementary School | 677 | 18% |
| Timber Creek Elementary School | 961 | 47% |
| Tomball Elementary School | 775 | 23% |
| Tomball High School | 3,077 | 33% |
| Tomball Intermediate School | 1,057 | 30% |
| Tomball Junior High School | 910 | 26% |
| Tomball Memorial High School | 3,136 | 42% |
| Tomball Star Academy | 366 | 64% |
| Wildwood Elementary School | 873 | 47% |
| Willow Creek Elementary School | 721 | 42% |
| Willow Wood Junior High School | 844 | 45% |
