Union Grove Independent School District (Isd)

The Union Grove Independent School District (Isd) is a small, unified district in Gladewater, Texas, serving 720 students across three schools: Union Grove Elementary (PK-6), Union Grove J H (7-8), and Union Grove High School (9-12). The district ranks in the 81st percentile statewide, earning a 4-star rating for strong overall performance.

Union Grove High School is the standout, consistently earning 4 stars with exceptional academic results. It boasts a 98.3% graduation rate, a 0.4% dropout rate, and a low 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio. Its students significantly outperform state averages in Biology (80.7% proficient), English I Reading (75%), and English II Reading (80%). In contrast, Union Grove J H shows dramatic subject-area volatility: while 8th-grade math proficiency is strong at 71.6% (well above the state's 47.24%), 7th-grade math proficiency has collapsed to just 9.52%—a 37-point drop from the prior year. This "7th-grade math cliff" is a critical concern. Union Grove Elementary is a solid, improving performer, rising from the 60th to the 72nd percentile. It excels in upper elementary math (5th and 6th grades) but struggles with 3rd-grade reading (41.67% vs. 51.08% state) and 4th-grade math (42.86% vs. 49.28% state).

Key takeaways include an inverse relationship between spending and performance: the high school, with the highest per-student spending ($14,245) and lowest student-teacher ratio, is the top performer, while the elementary school, with the lowest spending ($10,016) and highest ratio (12.8:1), serves a more economically disadvantaged population (47.34% free/reduced lunch) and shows mixed results. The district's math performance is bipolar—strong in elementary and high school but with a glaring gap in 7th grade. The high school's consistent excellence in English and Biology, combined with near-perfect graduation rates, makes it a clear beacon of success driving the district's high ranking.