Summary:
The Roma Independent School District (Isd) serves approximately 10 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, in a highly economically disadvantaged area of Texas, with over 90% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The district ranks in the 94th percentile statewide, earning a 5-star rating, but performance varies dramatically between school levels.
The district's elementary schools are its standout strength, with four of the six ranking in the top 2% of Texas elementary schools. Florence J Scott Elementary is the academic powerhouse, ranking in the 99th percentile and achieving reading and math proficiency rates of 87-91%, roughly double the state average. Emma Vera Elementary also ranks in the 99th percentile but does so with the lowest spending per student in the district at $9,599, showing that high achievement does not require high spending. In contrast, the middle schools show a stark drop-off: Roma Middle and Ramiro Barrera Middle score near or below state averages in 6th-grade math and 8th-grade reading, though they excel in 8th-grade math. Roma High School is a turnaround story, jumping from the 36th to the 62nd percentile in state rankings over three years, with a strong 93.1% graduation rate and standout Algebra I scores (75.79% vs. 54.03% state).
An outlier is the Instructional & Guidance Center, a specialized school with only 33 students and a 5.1:1 student-teacher ratio, spending $257,255 per student—over 20 times the elementary average. This likely serves at-risk students, potentially masking dropout rates. Overall, parents should note the exceptional elementary performance, the challenging middle school transition, and the improving high school trajectory, with resource allocation not being the primary driver of success.
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