Summary:
The Bells Independent School District (Isd) in Texas serves 1,007 students across three schools—Bells Elementary (PK-5), Pritchard J H (6-8), and Bells High School (9-12)—and is ranked 120th out of 951 districts in Texas, earning a 4-star rating.
Pritchard J H is the district’s standout school, achieving perfect 100% proficiency in Algebra I for two consecutive years and a 0.0% dropout rate. It has consistently ranked in the top 5% of Texas middle schools, though its 8th-grade Social Studies proficiency (40%) lags behind its stellar math and reading scores. Bells High School also excels, with 88.46% of students proficient in Biology and 82.05% in English II Reading—both well above state averages—and a 97.1% graduation rate. In contrast, Bells Elementary struggles, with only 37.14% of 3rd graders proficient in math and a declining state ranking from the 76th to 73rd percentile over two years.
A key takeaway is the district’s “funnel” effect: academic performance improves as students advance, with the middle school acting as a powerhouse that prepares students for high school success. However, the elementary school faces challenges, including the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (45.41%) yet the lowest per-student spending ($8,689), compared to the high school’s $12,820 per student. This spending disparity may contribute to the elementary school’s lower performance, particularly in early-grade math and reading. Overall, the district shows strong upper-grade outcomes, but targeted investment in early education could help close the gap and ensure all students thrive from the start.
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