Summary:
The Baird Independent School District (Isd) is served by a single elementary school, Baird Elementary, which educates 208 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade in a small, rural Texas community where 72.6% of students are economically disadvantaged.
Baird Elementary presents a unique academic profile that defies typical trends. While many schools see a "5th-grade slump," this school shows the opposite: 3rd graders struggle significantly, but 5th graders outperform the state average in both Reading and Mathematics. For example, in the 2025-2026 school year, only 11.54% of 3rd graders were proficient in Math—a staggering 33 points below the state average—yet 5th graders achieved a 52.63% proficiency rate, which is 5 points above the state average. This suggests the school has effective intervention strategies for older students but a critical weakness in early-grade math instruction. Additionally, 5th-grade Science was a major strength in the 2024-2025 school year, with 58.33% of students proficient compared to the state average of just 29.57%.
Despite these pockets of excellence, the school's overall state ranking has declined for three consecutive years, dropping from the 55th percentile to the 30th percentile (2 stars). With a low student-teacher ratio of 12.6:1 and per-student spending of $12,975, the school is well-resourced, yet these resources are not translating into strong foundational skills in the early grades. For parents, this means Baird Elementary offers a strong upper-grade experience and an exceptional science program, but families should be aware of the significant challenges in 3rd-grade math and the overall downward trajectory in state rankings.
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