Santa Fe Independent School District (Isd)

The Santa Fe Independent School District (Isd) serves 4,305 students across five schools—one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools—in a suburban area of Texas, earning a solid 4-star rating and ranking 255th out of 951 districts statewide.

Among the elementary schools, Roy J Wollam Elementary stands out as the top performer, with the highest overall ranking trajectory (rising from the 74th to the 81st percentile) and consistently exceeding district and state averages in Reading and Mathematics. It also benefits from the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.3:1) and the highest per-student spending ($11,511) in the district. In contrast, Dan J Kubacak Elementary and William F Barnett Elementary show more volatility in their state rankings, with Kubacak dropping from the 78th to the 68th percentile between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. At the secondary level, Santa Fe High School demonstrates remarkable stability with a 97.6% graduation rate and 0.0% dropout rate, excelling in Biology and U.S. History. However, Santa Fe J H reveals a critical weakness in middle school mathematics, with only 15.64% of 7th graders proficient in Math compared to the state average of 29.41%, though its advanced Algebra I program for 8th graders is a notable strength.

The district’s key metrics include an average free/reduced lunch rate of 51.95%, a student-teacher ratio of 15.5:1, and per-student spending of $10,637. The most significant takeaway is the "middle school math problem," where general math proficiency lags despite strong advanced math offerings, suggesting a need for targeted intervention. Additionally, Wollam Elementary’s success, driven by higher investment and lower class sizes, offers a model for potential replication across the district. Overall, Santa Fe ISD is a strong district with a single critical weakness in middle school math that, if addressed, could elevate its already solid performance.