Summary:
The Simms Independent School District (Simms Independent School District (Isd)) serves 480 students across three schools in the small, close-knit city of Simms, Texas, offering education from elementary through high school.
James Bowie High School is the district's standout, boasting a 100% graduation rate, a 0% dropout rate, and test scores far above state averages—for example, 88.89% proficiency in English II Reading versus 59.88% statewide. Its low student-teacher ratio of 8.1:1 allows for personalized attention, and the school has improved its ranking from the 60th to the 75th percentile over three years. In contrast, James Bowie Middle is struggling, with its ranking dropping from the 60th to the 40th percentile and proficiency rates in 7th-grade math falling to just 15.79%, well below the state average. However, the middle school excels in advanced Algebra I, with 91.67% proficiency. James Bowie Elementary is a solid, improving school, rising from the 52nd to the 78th percentile and building a strong math foundation, with 69.23% of 3rd graders proficient in math compared to 44.33% statewide.
A key takeaway is the pronounced "middle school slump," where performance drops sharply after elementary, suggesting a need for better transition support. The district also shows a spending disparity: the high school spends $14,006 per student, while the middle school spends only $9,883, which correlates with weaker outcomes. Science is a district-wide weakness, with 5th-grade proficiency at just 10.34% and 8th-grade at 40.48%. Despite these challenges, all schools benefit from small class sizes, and the high school's success demonstrates that strong instruction can overcome earlier struggles.
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