Summary:
The Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District is home to a single high school, Nixon-Smiley High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a small enrollment of 295 students in a rural Texas area where nearly three-quarters of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Nixon-Smiley High School excels in keeping students on track to graduate, boasting an exceptional 98.3% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate for the 2023-2024 school year. However, this success in retention does not translate into strong academic proficiency on state exams. The school's STAAR End-of-Course results reveal significant challenges, particularly in Algebra I, where only 15.15% of students scored proficient in 2025-2026—a staggering 39 points below the state average. U.S. History is another area of concern, with just 44.93% proficient, trailing the state by over 25 points. In contrast, Biology is a relative bright spot at 64.38% proficient, coming within 6 points of the state average, while English I and II Reading hover in the 47-51% range, consistently below state benchmarks.
Despite spending $15,785 per student—above the national average—and maintaining a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.2:1, the school's academic outcomes remain below par. The district ranks in the 31st percentile statewide, earning a 2-star rating for 2025-2026, while the school itself has received 1-star ratings in the last two years. For parents, this means Nixon-Smiley High School provides a supportive environment that ensures nearly every student graduates, but families should be aware that achieving grade-level mastery in core subjects like math and history is a significant hurdle that the school is still working to overcome.
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