Summary:
The Bandera Independent School District (Isd) is home to two elementary schools, Alkek Elementary and Hill Country Elementary, both serving grades PK through 5 with similar enrollment sizes and a comparable percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Alkek Elementary is the larger school and has been a consistent performer, though its state ranking has slipped from the 47th to the 24th percentile over the last three years. It excels in 5th-grade Science, with 43.43% of students proficient—well above the state average—but struggles significantly in Mathematics, particularly in 4th grade where only 21.95% of students are proficient. In contrast, Hill Country Elementary is the district's standout improver, climbing dramatically from the 15th to the 40th percentile in state rankings. It outperforms Alkek in Reading across all grade levels and shows strength in 3rd-grade Math, but its 5th-grade Science score of 22.22% is a notable weakness. Hill Country also spends $726 more per student than Alkek, which may be fueling its rapid improvement.
Both schools share a "5th Grade Bounce" in Reading, where scores jump significantly compared to earlier grades, suggesting effective upper-grade interventions. The most compelling trend is their divergent trajectories: while Hill Country is on a steep upward climb, Alkek is trending downward. If these patterns hold, Hill Country is poised to surpass Alkek in overall state ranking within the next year or two, making it a school to watch for parents seeking a rising academic environment.
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