Of the 144 students at Vista Academy of Austin-Mueller in Lewisville, 132 (92%) weren’t on track for college in the 2023-24 school year, according to Austin 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, Vista Academy of Austin-Mueller’s student population was made up of 144 students, of which 59 were Hispanic, 33 white, 29 African American, 11 multiracial, and nine Asian students.
Data shows that 22.2% of Vista Academy of Austin-Mueller’s Asian students (2), 9.1% of its multiracial students (1), 9.1% of its white students (3), 6.9% of its African American students (2) and 3.4% of its Hispanic students (2) 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 131 Vista Academy of Austin-Mueller students – equivalent to 88% of the student population – were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 92%, marking a 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amarillo Collegiate Academy | 475 | 20% |
| Classical Academy – Permian Basin | 258 | 11% |
| Clay Classical Academy | 167 | 10% |
| Coppell Classical Academy | 381 | 22% |
| Denton Classical Academy | 198 | 17% |
| Eastex-Jensen Classical Academy | 209 | 3% |
| El Paso Classical Academy | 263 | 17% |
| Fallbrook Academy | 285 | 10% |
| Founders Classical Academy | 921 | 33% |
| Founders Classical Academy – Conroe | 703 | 12% |
| Founders Classical Academy – Frisco | 1,038 | 29% |
| Founders Classical Academy Corinth | 537 | 24% |
| Founders Classical Academy Corinth – Upper School | 477 | 18% |
| Founders Classical Academy of Flower Mound | 994 | 34% |
| Founders Classical Academy of Leander | 683 | 24% |
| Founders Classical Academy of Mesquite | 511 | 7% |
| Founders Classical Academy of Prosper | 882 | 27% |
| Founders Classical Academy of Schertz | 800 | 14% |
| Founders Classical Academy- Carrollton | 534 | 25% |
| Founders Classical Academy-Bastrop | 193 | 11% |
| Huntsville Classical Academy | 403 | 16% |
| Ignite Community School-Fort Worth | 363 | 10% |
| Ischool High – Atascocita | 127 | 19% |
| Ischool High at University Park | 420 | 31% |
| Ischool High at the Woodlands | 292 | 28% |
| Ischool Lewisville (6-12 Campus) | 183 | 26% |
| Ischool Lewisville (K-5 Campus) | 108 | 22% |
| Ischool Virtual Academy of Texas | 925 | 11% |
| Mainland Preparatory Academy | 337 | 11% |
| Quest Collegiate Academy – Crockett | 103 | 1% |
| Quest Collegiate Academy – Shenandoah | 386 | 16% |
| Quest Collegiate Academy-McAllen | 84 | 12% |
| Quest Collegiate Academy-Whitewright | 113 | 14% |
| Tyler Classical Academy | 544 | 17% |
| Vista Academy of Austin-Mueller | 144 | 8% |
| Vista Academy of Beaumont | 198 | 4% |
| Vista Academy of Garland | 297 | 14% |
| Vista Academy of Humble | 188 | 19% |
| Vista Academy of Pasadena | 220 | 8% |
| Westchase Classical Academy | 458 | 17% |
Source: Texas Education Agency.
