Summary:
Kilgore Independent School District (ISD) is home to one middle school, Kilgore Middle, which serves grades 6 through 8 with a total enrollment of 840 students in a high-poverty area where 72% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Kilgore Middle presents a mixed academic picture. The school’s strongest performance is in advanced mathematics, with 91.67% of 8th graders proficient in Algebra I, far exceeding the state average of 54.03%. However, this success contrasts sharply with other subjects. In 7th-grade math, only 7.53% of students met proficiency, compared to the state average of 29.41%, and 8th-grade reading proficiency dropped to 39.58%, well below the state’s 58.69%. Social studies is also a significant weakness, with just 16.72% of 8th graders proficient. The school’s state ranking has declined from the 44th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 28th percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 1-star rating. The student-teacher ratio is 13.9:1, and per-student spending is $7,953, with a very low dropout rate of 0.2%.
Key takeaways for parents include a notable “Algebra I paradox,” where a select group of students excels in advanced math while the majority struggle, particularly in 7th-grade math. There is also a significant “8th-grade slump,” with reading and social studies scores dropping sharply in that grade. Year-over-year performance is volatile, suggesting inconsistent instructional strategies. While the school benefits from funding due to its high poverty rate, the overall academic outcomes remain below state averages, raising questions about how resources are allocated to address core deficits in math and social studies.
Thank you for your feedback!