San Augustine Independent School District (Isd)

The San Augustine Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Texas with just two schools: San Augustine Elementary (serving Pre-K through 5th grade) and San Augustine High School (serving 6th through 12th grade), serving a total of 597 students in a high-poverty area where 80-88% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The district shows a clear split in performance. San Augustine Elementary is the bright spot, with its state ranking improving from the 25th percentile to the 42nd percentile over two years. It outperforms state averages in several areas, such as 4th Grade Math (64.1% proficient vs. 49.28% statewide) and 6th Grade Math (48.39% vs. 38.57%). In contrast, San Augustine High School is struggling significantly, ranking in the 10th percentile statewide with declining scores. The high school's math scores are critically low—only 2.38% of 8th graders are proficient in math compared to 47.24% statewide—and its Biology proficiency rate is just 29.41% versus 70.51% statewide. A dramatic "6th grade cliff" appears when students transition from elementary to high school, with reading proficiency dropping from 46.67% in 5th grade to 21.95% in 6th grade.

Despite spending well above the state average per student ($16,276 at the high school and $14,573 at the elementary school), academic outcomes remain low. The high school boasts a 100% graduation rate and a very low dropout rate of 0.6%, but this contrasts sharply with low academic readiness—only 19.61% of students are proficient in English I Reading. This suggests students are earning diplomas without being fully prepared for college or careers. The district's challenge is not a lack of funding, but how to effectively use resources to overcome poverty and improve instruction, especially in math and science at the secondary level.