Summary:
The Onalaska Independent School District (Isd) is a small, two-school district in Texas serving 1,196 students from Pre-K through 12th grade, with Onalaska Elementary (grades Pre-K-6) and Onalaska Junior/Senior High (grades 7-12), and it ranks in the 57th percentile statewide with a 3-star rating.
Onalaska Junior/Senior High is a school of stark contrasts. It shines in English II Reading, with proficiency rates around 71-75%—nearly 20 points above the state average—and boasts an excellent 95.1% graduation rate with a 0% dropout rate. However, it struggles significantly in math, particularly in 7th grade where only 1.67% of students were proficient, far below the state average of 29.41%. In contrast, Onalaska Elementary offers more consistent performance, with a standout strength in 3rd-grade math (52.17% proficient, nearly 8 points above the state) and solid early reading scores. The elementary school also serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (68.47%) compared to the high school (58.94%), yet maintains smaller class sizes with a 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio.
A key takeaway is the dramatic "math cliff" students face when transitioning from elementary to middle school. Math proficiency drops from 66% in 5th grade to 48.98% in 6th grade, then plummets to just 1.67% in 7th grade, suggesting a critical need for curriculum alignment. Meanwhile, 8th-grade Social Studies is a consistent bright spot, outperforming the state by 15-17 percentage points. Despite economic challenges, the district demonstrates that high achievement is possible, as seen in English II and early math, but must urgently address the systemic math issues to ensure all students succeed.
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