Joshua Independent School District (Isd)

The Joshua Independent School District (Isd) serves approximately 6,026 students across 10 schools in Texas, including five elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and one alternative 9th-grade campus, and is ranked 237th out of 951 districts in the state with a solid 4-star rating.

The district showcases a dramatic performance gap between its top and bottom schools. North Joshua Elementary is the standout star, consistently earning a 5-star rating with test scores far exceeding district and state averages—for example, 79.46% of its 3rd graders were proficient in Reading versus the district's 59.11%. In stark contrast, Caddo Grove Elementary struggles significantly, holding a 1-star rating with only 26.74% of 3rd graders proficient in Math. Among middle schools, R C Loflin Middle excels in advanced math, with 89.81% of students proficient in Algebra I, far above the state average of 54.03%. The district's high schools also vary: Joshua High School has a high graduation rate of 98.4% but faces a persistent crisis in English I Reading, where only about 4.5% of students are proficient. Meanwhile, Joshua H S Ninth Grade Campus serves as a successful transition point, with 70.81% proficiency in English I Reading and 90.5% in Biology. New Horizon High School, an alternative school with only 30 students, spends the most per student ($31,471) but achieves below-average test scores, though it maintains a 93.3% graduation rate.

Key takeaways for parents include that higher spending does not guarantee better results—North Joshua Elementary spends the least per student ($9,399) yet achieves the best outcomes. The district's middle schools show a "two-tiered" math system where advanced Algebra I students thrive, but standard math performance lags. Overall, while the district performs above average, families should carefully consider individual school strengths, especially the stark contrast between elementary schools and the English I Reading challenges at the main high school.