Anderson Elementary

Anderson Elementary is a PK-6 school in Arlington, TX, serving 426 students within the Arlington Independent School District (Isd), where over 92% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a high-poverty community.

While Anderson Elementary’s overall state ranking places it in the 17th percentile, the school shows a remarkable strength: its African American students perform in the 77th percentile statewide, earning a 4-star rating. This is a standout achievement, especially given the school’s high-poverty context, and it suggests targeted strategies are working well for this group. However, the school faces significant challenges, particularly with Special Education students, who rank in the 4th percentile. Performance across grade levels is also inconsistent—for example, 4th-grade reading scores swung from 27% to 52% and back to 31% in recent years—indicating that success often depends on the specific group of students rather than a stable school-wide system. Nearby, Patrick Elementary, just 0.39 miles away, serves a similar population but lacks a standout subgroup, while Ellen Ochoa Stem Academy At Ben Miliam Elementary and David Daniels Elementary Academy Of Science & Math from the Grand Prairie Independent School District (Isd) consistently outperform all nearby Arlington schools, suggesting district-level differences may play a role.

Despite spending $11,323 per student—higher than nearby Grand Prairie schools like Ellen Ochoa at $8,909—Anderson’s overall performance lags, indicating that funding alone isn’t the issue. The school’s “yo-yo” test scores and its exceptional success with one group highlight that internal focus and instructional strategies, not just resources, drive outcomes. For parents, this means Anderson offers a unique strength for African American students but struggles with consistency and support for other groups, making it a school where specific programs may benefit some children more than others.