Clarendon Independent School District (Isd)

The Clarendon Independent School District (Isd) is a small, unified system in Texas serving approximately 401 students across three schools: Clarendon Elementary (PK-5), Clarendon J H (6-8), and Clarendon High School (9-12).

Clarendon High School is the district's standout performer, boasting a near-perfect 97.1% graduation rate, a 0.0% dropout rate, and consistent outperformance of state averages in Biology, English, and U.S. History. It also benefits from the highest per-student spending ($16,946) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (6.5:1) in the district. In contrast, Clarendon Elementary excels in mathematics, significantly exceeding state proficiency rates in 4th and 5th grade, and shows strong reading growth by 5th grade. Clarendon J H presents the most volatile performance, with a dramatic decline from a powerhouse year in 2024-2025 to scores falling below state averages in 2025-2026, making it the district's most critical area for review.

Key metrics include a district-wide ranking of 304th out of 951 in Texas (68th percentile, 3 stars) and moderate socioeconomic disadvantage, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 41.41% at the high school to 55.88% at the elementary. A persistent weakness is Algebra I proficiency at the high school, which remains well below state averages. The district's small size allows for very low student-teacher ratios across all schools, but it also means that changes in a single cohort or teacher can have an outsized impact on school data, as seen at the middle school. Overall, the high school provides a model of success, while the elementary shows strong math foundations, and the middle school's instability warrants immediate investigation into curriculum or staffing changes.