Summary:
The three public schools in Newton, Texas, part of the Newton Independent School District (Isd), serve 934 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, economically challenged community where over 72% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Newton High School is a standout for its remarkable 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, despite low state academic rankings (25th percentile) and proficiency scores like 23.53% in Algebra I. This suggests the school excels at keeping students on track to graduate, even if standardized test performance lags. In contrast, Newton Middle shows inconsistent performance, with 8th-grade math proficiency (59.15%) far exceeding the state average, but 5th-grade science (14.67%) drastically below it. Its state ranking has also dropped sharply from the 43rd to the 23rd percentile, making it the district's most urgent area for improvement. Newton Elementary ranks slightly higher at the 30th percentile, showing some stability.
Key metrics reveal small class sizes across the district, with student-to-teacher ratios ranging from 9.1 at the high school to 11.7 at the elementary school. Spending per student varies significantly, with Newton High School spending $17,529 per student—far more than the elementary ($12,355) or middle school ($12,873)—yet this higher investment does not translate into better state rankings. The district overall ranks 778th out of 951 in Texas (18th percentile), highlighting systemic challenges. A notable bright spot is the consistent outperformance in 8th-grade math at the middle school, which could serve as a model for improving instruction in other subjects and grades.
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