Summary:
The city of Gilmer, Texas, is served by six schools across two districts—the higher-performing Gilmer Independent School District (Isd) and the smaller, rural Union Hill Independent School District (Isd)—educating a total of 3,063 students from elementary through high school, with most families facing economic challenges as indicated by high free/reduced lunch rates.
For parents comparing schools, the standout for academic excellence is Bruce J H, where an impressive 92.86% of 8th graders passed Algebra I—far exceeding state and district averages—while Gilmer Elementary shows consistent improvement, rising from the 66th to the 71st percentile in state rankings over three years. In contrast, Union Hill High School achieves a perfect 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate despite low test scores, highlighting a focus on student retention. Sharon A Richardson Elementary experiences extreme score volatility due to its small size (141 students), with math proficiency swinging from 0% to 75% in consecutive years. Gilmer High School and Gilmer Intermediate perform above state averages in most subjects, though a notable "middle school dip" in math proficiency—from 50.9% in 4th grade to 33.75% in 8th grade—suggests a need for targeted support.
Key takeaways include a clear performance gap between the two districts: Gilmer ISD schools generally exceed state averages, while Union Hill ISD schools struggle academically but excel in student completion. Per-student spending varies widely, from $9,588 at Sharon A Richardson Elementary to $17,025 at Union Hill High School, yet higher spending does not guarantee better test scores, indicating that how funds are used matters more than the total amount. Student-teacher ratios are low across all schools (11.8:1 to 15.4:1), supporting small class sizes, but the economic disadvantage rate (56.74% to 76.1%) underscores the challenges many families face.
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