Summary:
Sullivan City, Texas, is served by two public elementary schools, Sam Fordyce Elementary and Rosendo Benavides Elementary, both part of the La Joya Independent School District (ISD), and they present a clear contrast in academic performance despite serving similarly high-needs populations.
Sam Fordyce Elementary is the standout school in the city, ranking in the 59th percentile statewide (3-star) and consistently outperforming its local counterpart. It achieves significantly higher proficiency rates in both Reading and Math, with average scores roughly 12 to 30 percentage points above Rosendo Benavides Elementary. Notably, Sam Fordyce excels in 3rd-grade Spanish Reading, where 76.92% of students were proficient—far exceeding district and state averages—and its 3rd-grade Math scores also surpass the state average. In contrast, Rosendo Benavides Elementary ranks in the 11th percentile (1-star) and has been in the bottom 20% of Texas elementary schools for three consecutive years, with no signs of improvement.
A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee better results. Rosendo Benavides Elementary spends $1,797 more per student ($14,098 vs. $12,301) than the higher-performing Sam Fordyce Elementary, yet its test scores and state ranking are much lower. Both schools have high rates of economic disadvantage (over 95% free/reduced lunch) and similar student-teacher ratios (around 12.6:1), suggesting that factors like school leadership and teaching quality drive success. For parents, Sam Fordyce Elementary offers a stronger academic environment, especially in Math and bilingual programs, while Rosendo Benavides Elementary shows some strength in Spanish-language reading for upper grades but struggles overall.
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