Mansfield Independent School District (Isd)

The Mansfield Independent School District (Isd) in Texas is a high-performing district of 46 schools, serving elementary through high school students and earning a 4-star rating, placing it in the 78th percentile statewide. For parents, the standout schools are the specialized magnet high schools: Mansfield Frontier Stem Academy is ranked #1 in Texas with perfect 100% proficiency on all STAAR tests and a 100% graduation rate, while Tccse Early College H S At Timberview is ranked #12 in the state with near-perfect scores and a 100% graduation rate. Among comprehensive high schools, Mansfield Lake Ridge High School leads with the highest graduation rate (98.2%) and lowest dropout rate (0.3%). At the elementary level, Nancy Neal Elementary (95th percentile) and Cora Spencer Elementary (91st percentile) consistently achieve top-tier results, while Brooks Wester Middle (91st percentile) excels with 100% proficiency in 6th-grade math and reading, plus advanced Algebra I and Biology scores.

Key metrics reveal a wide performance gap across the district. The highest free/reduced lunch rates are at Glenn Harmon Elementary (83.29%) and T A Howard Middle (76.31%), which also face significant academic challenges—Glenn Harmon’s ranking dropped to the 5th percentile before recovering, while T A Howard sits at the 31st percentile with only 8.98% of 8th graders proficient in Social Studies. In contrast, Mansfield Frontier Stem Academy has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (22.39%) and the highest per-student spending ($54,089), though high spending does not guarantee success—Brooks Wester Middle spends just $7,555 per student while ranking in the 91st percentile.

Interesting takeaways include a district-wide "middle school math dip," where 8th-grade math proficiency drops significantly compared to 7th grade, even at top schools like Brooks Wester. The The Phoenix Academy, an alternative high school with a 2.8:1 student-teacher ratio and $37,952 per-student spending, achieves a 94.4% graduation rate despite very low test scores, suggesting it effectively keeps at-risk students in school. Overall, the district’s magnet schools dramatically outperform comprehensive schools, raising questions about expanding this model to serve more students.