Summary:
Bonham, Texas is home to two middle-level schools within the Bonham Independent School District (Isd), which serves grades 4 through 8 and has a district-wide 1-star rating, placing it in the 20th percentile statewide. Rather L H (grades 7-8) stands out as the stronger performer, showing a clear upward trajectory from the 34th to a projected 55th percentile rank. It excels in advanced math, with 77.78% of 8th graders proficient in Algebra I—well above the state average of 54.03%—and consistently meets or exceeds state averages in Reading. In contrast, Evans Elementary (grades 4-6) struggles across all subjects, with reading proficiency ranging from 28% to 36% and math proficiency dropping significantly from 44% in 2024-2025 to just 25% in 6th grade for 2025-2026.
Key metrics reveal a stark divide between the two schools. Rather L H has a student-teacher ratio of 15.3:1 and spends $12,293 per student, while Evans Elementary has a ratio of 14.8:1 and spends $11,473 per student. Both serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates of 64.94% and 61.85%, respectively. Rather L H’s 8th-grade math proficiency (50.71%) is above the state average, but its 7th-grade math proficiency plummets to 15.22%, suggesting a "survivor bias" where top students take Algebra I while others struggle. Social Studies is a notable weakness at Rather L H, with only 15.65% proficient versus the state’s 31.69%.
The most critical takeaway is the district’s "pipeline problem": Evans Elementary fails to prepare students for middle school, as seen in declining math scores, and Rather L H then acts as a turnaround school, accelerating a select group while leaving many behind. This systemic issue drives the district’s low 1-star rating. For parents, Rather L H offers strong advanced coursework and improving rankings, but families should be aware of the significant gaps in foundational skills from Evans Elementary and the need for targeted support in Social Studies at the middle school level.
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