Of the 2,624 students at Willis High School in Willis, 2,309 (88%) 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, Willis High School’s student population was made up of 2,624 students, of which 1,254 were white, 1,018 Hispanic, 226 African American, 90 multiracial, 22 Asian, eight American Indian, and six Pacific Islander students.
Data shows that 31.8% of Willis High School’s Asian students (7), 16.7% of its Pacific Islander students (1), 17% of its white students (213), 14.4% of its multiracial students (13) and 8.9% 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 2,240 Willis High School students – equivalent to 89% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 88%, marking a 1% decrease 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C. C. Hardy Elementary School | 788 | 9% |
| Eddie Ruth Lagway Elementary School | 797 | 24% |
| Edward B. Cannan Elementary School | 667 | 11% |
| Lynn Lucas Middle School | 937 | 9% |
| Parmley Elementary School | 616 | 16% |
| Robert P. Brabham Middle School | 1,140 | 14% |
| Turner Elementary School | 435 | 15% |
| W. Lloyd Meador Elementary School | 633 | 21% |
| Willis High School | 2,624 | 12% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
