Summary:
The four elementary schools in the Rice Consolidated Independent School District serve students from Pre-K through 5th grade in a rural Texas area, with small enrollments ranging from 82 to 194 students and a high level of economic need across the district.
Garwood Elementary stands out as the highest-performing school, consistently earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 60th percentile statewide, despite having the highest student-teacher ratio (15.6) and lower spending per student ($13,139). Sheridan Elementary shows dramatic improvement, jumping from the 39th to the 57th percentile in two years, though its small size (82 students) leads to volatile year-over-year test scores. In contrast, Eagle Lake Intermediate faces significant challenges, dropping sharply from the 44th to the 15th percentile and earning a 1-star rating, with 3rd-grade math proficiency plummeting from 48% to just 14%. Eagle Lake Pri has no ranking data available but serves the largest enrollment (194 students) with the lowest spending per student ($8,967).
A key takeaway is that spending does not correlate with performance in this district: Garwood outperforms despite lower funding, while Eagle Lake Intermediate struggles despite higher spending ($11,865) and a low student-teacher ratio (13.0). District-wide, 3rd-grade math is a consistent weakness, with all schools scoring well below the state average of 44% proficient. Garwood is the only school where 5th-grade science scores (43%) significantly exceeded both district (21%) and state (30%) averages, suggesting effective strategies that overcome socioeconomic barriers. For parents, Garwood and Sheridan offer the strongest academic outcomes, while Eagle Lake Intermediate requires close attention to its declining performance.
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