Child’s future determined by city district they live in, study finds

SAN ANTONIO – City Education Partners has unveiled a groundbreaking tool for the community, offering a detailed glimpse into the performance of students across San Antonio on the STAAR math and reading tests.

The report delves into the academic achievements of students in schools, presenting the data by city council district. CEO Dalia Flores Contreras emphasizes the presence of 17 school districts and over 12 charter schools in the San Antonio area.

“Our focus is on ensuring that every child across every council district in San Antonio has access to a top-notch education,” Contreras stated. “This tool provides a citywide perspective, utilizing a common assessment to gauge the educational landscape. Do disparities exist between how different council districts are performing? And how do we address that, recognizing that education plays a pivotal role in shaping children’s futures?”

Overall, the data indicates that 46% of 3rd to 8th-grade students throughout the city are reading at or above grade level, while only 31% are at par in math. The findings also shed light on a critical teacher shortage of 71% citywide and a concerning issue of 25% of students being chronically absent.

“No one should dismiss this data as someone else’s concern, as our city’s fortune rises and falls together,” Contreras reiterated.

The districts with the lowest-performing schools were 2, 3, 4, and 5, where less than 40% of students demonstrated proficiency in reading. Conversely, districts 8, 9, and 10 boasted the highest-scoring schools.

Contreras highlighted how economic disparities can impact children’s futures but also pointed out the success stories of schools excelling despite challenges, prompting the community to question, “What strategies are these schools employing that are yielding positive results, and how can they be replicated in other communities?”

“Cotton Elementary is a shining example of what’s achievable. They cater to a diverse student population with various needs in a high-need community, yet they achieve remarkable outcomes,” she added.

Families are encouraged to access the report to assess their schools’ and districts’ performance.

“These are not just numbers on a page. Each data point in that dataset represents a child,” Contreras emphasized. “They are the children of our city, stepping into schools with hopes for their future, with data dictating which doors will open or close for them.”