Lamar Consolidated Independent School District

The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District is a large, diverse district in Texas serving 48 schools, including 33 elementary, 6 middle, 7 high, and 2 alternative campuses, and is ranked in the 79th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating.

The district is defined by a stark performance divide, strongly linked to socioeconomic factors. The top-performing schools are Bess Campbell Elementary (99th percentile) and Susanna Dickinson Elementary (98th percentile), both with very low free/reduced lunch (FRL) rates. In contrast, Travis Elementary (13th percentile) and Jane Long Elementary (15th percentile) face significant challenges with high FRL rates. At the high school level, Foster High School (85th percentile) and George Ranch High School lead, while B F Terry High School and Dr Thomas E Randle High School struggle. Middle schools like Reading Jh (92nd percentile) excel, but 7th-grade math is a district-wide weakness, with Lamar Jh and George Jh scoring in the single digits for proficiency.

A key finding is the "Algebra I anomaly": middle schools like Dean Leaman Jh and Briscoe Jh achieve near-perfect scores on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, even as general math scores lag. Spending per student varies widely, from $8,382 at Reading Jh to over $62,000 at the Alternative Learning Center, but higher spending does not guarantee higher performance. The district also shows a geographic split, with "Westside" high schools like Fulshear High School outperforming "Eastside" schools, and several elementary schools show a performance gap on Spanish-language STAAR tests, highlighting the need for targeted support for English Language Learners.