Ft Hancock Independent School District (Isd)

The Ft Hancock Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Texas serving 390 students across two schools: Benito Martinez Elementary (grades PK-6) and Fort Hancock High School (grades 7-12), with a high level of economic disadvantage as over 82% of elementary and 91% of high school students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The district presents a stark contrast in performance. Fort Hancock High School is the standout, showing a dramatic turnaround by jumping from the 28th percentile (1-star) to the 67th percentile (3-star) in a single year. It now outperforms the state average in Biology (78.79% proficient), U.S. History (80%), Algebra I (60%), and English II Reading (62.07%), and boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate. In contrast, Benito Martinez Elementary has declined from the 36th percentile (2-star) to the 16th percentile (1-star) over the same period. While 3rd graders are a bright spot, exceeding state averages in both Reading (57.14%) and Math (60%), performance drops sharply in later grades, with 6th-grade Math proficiency at just 15.38% compared to the state's 38.57%.

Key findings include a potential pipeline problem, as the high school's success may be threatened by underprepared incoming students from the elementary school. The elementary school's Spanish-language STAAR program is a notable success, with 4th Grade Reading (Spanish) reaching 55.56% proficiency, far above the state average of 37.14%. However, the elementary school spends $12,897 per student—a significant amount for a small school—yet achieves the lowest performance in the district, raising questions about resource allocation. The high school's improvement is driven by targeted gains in specific subjects, particularly Biology and Algebra I, suggesting effective interventions or teaching in those areas.