Summary:
The Arrow Academy district in Texas serves three elementary schools (K-6) that vary dramatically in size, demographics, and academic performance, offering a clear picture of how resources and strategies can lead to vastly different outcomes for students.
Arrow Academy - Liberation Academy stands out as the district's top performer, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 83rd percentile—a strong upward trend from the 53rd percentile three years ago. It serves a more affluent population (60.53% free/reduced lunch) and spends the least per student ($11,116), yet consistently exceeds state averages in Reading and Mathematics across all tested grades. In contrast, Arrow Academy - Harvest Preparatory Academy is the district's most significant challenge, with a 1-star rating and critically low scores—including a 0% proficiency rate in 5th-grade Reading—despite spending the most per student ($15,307). Arrow Academy - Save Our Streets Center is a middle performer with a 3-star rating, showing a notable strength in Mathematics (especially 4th grade at 82.35% proficient) but a slight downward trend in overall ranking.
The most striking insight is that spending does not equal success: Harvest Preparatory spends $4,191 more per student than Liberation Academy but achieves far worse results, suggesting funds are not effectively allocated. Additionally, while Harvest Preparatory and Save Our Streets Center have nearly identical poverty rates (~89%), Save Our Streets Center significantly outperforms Harvest Preparatory in most subjects, proving that factors like leadership and teaching quality matter more than poverty alone. Liberation Academy's balanced strength in Reading and Save Our Streets Center's exceptional Math program offer best practices that could be shared across the district to improve outcomes for all students.
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