Summary:
The city of Palmhurst, Texas, is served by two public schools—Hurla M Midkiff Elementary and Rafael A Cantu J H—both part of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District, which holds a 3-star state ranking. With 1,248 students total, Palmhurst lacks a public high school, so students transition to schools outside the city within the same district.
Hurla M Midkiff Elementary (657 students) stands out for its consistent, broad-based academic strength. It outperformed the district average in 5 of 6 core subject tests in the 2025-2026 school year, with notable year-over-year growth in 4th Grade Reading (from 50.55% to 64% proficient) and 4th Grade Math (from 47.22% to 51.9%). Its bilingual program is a highlight, with 3rd graders scoring 40% proficient in Spanish Reading—well above the district (27.27%) and state (28.3%) averages. In contrast, Rafael A Cantu J H (591 students) presents a "tale of two schools": while its overall state ranking is lower (2 stars), it boasts an extraordinary 91-92% proficiency rate on the Algebra I STAAR exam, far exceeding the district (36%) and state (47-54%) averages. However, this success masks a critical weakness—7th Grade Math proficiency is alarmingly low at just 5.43%, well below the state average of 29.41%.
Key metrics reveal important differences. The middle school spends significantly more per student ($12,524 vs. $10,105) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (14.2:1 vs. 16.6:1), yet its general education struggles, especially in math, suggest uneven resource distribution. The elementary school, serving a high-poverty population (78.08% eligible for free/reduced lunch), is a bright spot for the district, while the middle school's 0.0% dropout rate is excellent. The performance drop from elementary to middle school—particularly in math—highlights a need for better transition support, as Palmhurst students ultimately feed into high schools outside the city.
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