Summary:
The Cameron Independent School District (Isd) contains two elementary schools serving grades PK-5 in a high-poverty area, with over 69% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Cameron Elementary (grades 3-5) is the standout school for its volatile performance. It showed a remarkable upward trend, jumping from the 40th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 50th percentile in 2024-2025, but then dramatically collapsed to the 13th percentile in 2025-2026. This instability makes it difficult to assess its true trajectory. In contrast, Ben Milam Elementary (grades PK-2) has no test score data, as it does not administer STAAR tests, so its academic performance cannot be directly compared. Ben Milam is larger (396 students) than Cameron (308 students) and spends more per student ($9,717 vs. $8,948), yet both have nearly identical student-teacher ratios (15:1 and 14.7:1).
A key finding is the "5th Grade Bounce" at Cameron Elementary in 2024-2025, where 5th graders consistently outperformed state averages in reading (65.56% proficient), math (57.14%), and science (33.33%), while 3rd and 4th graders struggled significantly, especially in math (27% and 28.04% proficient). This suggests either exceptional 5th-grade instruction or a uniquely high-achieving cohort. The "Math Gap" is a district crisis, with math proficiency far below reading across all tested grades. The higher spending at Ben Milam may be laying a foundation, but its payoff is not visible until 5th grade, raising questions about whether early-grade investments are translating into later success.
Thank you for your feedback!