Bean Elementary

Bean Elementary in Lubbock, TX, is a small school serving 218 students in grades 3-5 within the Lubbock Independent School District (Isd), where over 93% of students come from low-income households, creating a unique educational environment that differs sharply from nearby schools.

Bean Elementary faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the 5th percentile statewide, which is a stark contrast to its neighbors. For example, Wilson Elementary ranks in the 91st percentile and Ramirez Elementary in the 89th percentile, despite being less than 1.6 miles away. Test scores reveal a wide gap: in 3rd grade reading, only 15.63% of Bean students were proficient, compared to 80.49% at Wilson and 76.12% at Ramirez. Similarly, 4th grade math proficiency at Bean was 25.3%, versus 75.95% at Wilson and 71.43% at Ramirez. This disparity is tied to the high poverty rate at Bean, which is much higher than Wilson's 26.03% or Ramirez's 45.74%.

Despite these struggles, Bean has notable strengths. Its bilingual program is a bright spot, with students taking Spanish-language STAAR tests outperforming state averages—for instance, 56.25% were proficient in 5th grade reading Spanish versus 32.91% statewide. Additionally, Bean ranks in the 80th percentile for supporting special education students, a remarkable achievement given its overall ranking. The school also has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1, suggesting that challenges stem from the intensity of student needs rather than class size. These insights show that while Bean faces systemic hurdles, it excels in targeted areas that benefit specific student groups.