Summary:
The Georgetown Independent School District (Isd) serves approximately 12,861 students across 19 schools, including 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools, and ranks in the 57th percentile statewide with a 3-star rating. The district shows a wide performance gap, with top schools like Jo Ann Ford Elementary (91st percentile, 5 stars) and Douglas Benold Middle (82nd percentile, 4 stars) excelling, while Annie Purl Elementary (12th percentile, 1 star) and George Wagner Middle (27th percentile) face significant challenges. A key predictor of performance is the percentage of students on free/reduced lunch, which ranges dramatically from 13.98% at San Gabriel Elementary to 72.03% at Annie Purl Elementary, highlighting a strong socioeconomic divide.
One standout finding is the "Algebra I anomaly" in middle schools: while standard math scores are often below state averages, Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) proficiency is exceptionally high, with Douglas Benold Middle at 95.24%, James Tippit Middle at 76.62%, and George Wagner Middle at 63.38%, all far exceeding the district average of 48.29%. This suggests the district effectively accelerates top math students but leaves others behind. Another universal weakness is the "Science gap," where every school scored below the state average in 5th-grade Science, including high-performers like Jo Ann Ford Elementary (43.52%) and San Gabriel Elementary (10.26%), indicating a district-wide curriculum issue.
Notable disparities also appear in spending and student-teacher ratios. The district spends significantly more on struggling students, with alternative programs like Georgetown Alter Prog ($67,738 per student) and Chip Richarte High School ($19,592) reflecting intensive resources, while James E Mitchell Elementary spends just $9,653. Wolf Ranch Elementary presents a paradox: it is a high-performing school (75th percentile) with strong reading scores but has a high student-teacher ratio (15.9:1) and volatile 5th-grade math proficiency, dropping from 49.35% to 35.59% in one year. Additionally, Spanish-language STAAR test scores at several elementary schools are consistently lower than English tests, suggesting a need for improved support for English Language Learners.
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