Summary:
The Sivells Bend Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Gainesville, Texas, serving just 62 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade at its single campus, Sivells Bend Elementary.
This school offers a highly personalized learning environment with an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 8.2:1 and high per-student spending of nearly $20,000. However, academic performance is a mixed bag. Reading is a clear strength, with 7th graders scoring 87.5% proficient in 2025-2026—over 33 points above the state average—and 3rd and 8th graders also outperforming the state. In contrast, math scores are wildly inconsistent, ranging from 0% proficiency in 3rd and 4th grades to a perfect 100% in 8th grade. This dramatic swing, likely influenced by the tiny class sizes (where a single student can drastically change percentages), contributed to the school's state ranking dropping from the 67th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 21st percentile in 2025-2026.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Sivells Bend Elementary provides an intimate, supportive setting with strong literacy instruction, especially for older students. However, the volatile math results and overall low ranking (1 star) suggest that while the school excels in certain areas, it struggles to build consistent foundational skills in mathematics across all grade levels. The high spending and low class sizes are a significant advantage, but they have not yet translated into uniform academic excellence.
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