Waskom Independent School District (Isd)

The Waskom Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Texas serving approximately 806 students across three schools: Waskom Elementary (PK-5), Waskom Middle (6-8), and Waskom High School (9-12). The district is ranked 739th out of 951 in Texas, earning a 1-star rating, and a high percentage of students (67-70%) are economically disadvantaged.

Each school has a distinct strength. Waskom Middle stands out as an "Algebra I Accelerator," with 88.89% of its 8th graders scoring proficient on the Algebra I EOC exam in 2024-2025—nearly double the state average. This contrasts sharply with its below-average performance in standard 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade math. Waskom High School is a "Graduation Champion," boasting an exceptional 98.4% graduation rate despite struggling with state test scores in core subjects like Algebra I and English II. Waskom Elementary shows the most inconsistent performance, with its state ranking dropping from the 46th to the 24th percentile. While it excels in 4th-grade math (54.35% proficient, beating the state), it also has the district's lowest score in 5th-grade science, where only 10.61% of students were proficient.

Key takeaways include a "High School Paradox" where excellent retention and a low student-teacher ratio (8.3:1) coexist with below-average academic proficiency. The district also shows inconsistent performance across grade levels, suggesting success depends heavily on specific teachers rather than a unified strategy. Spending per student varies significantly, from $14,128 at the high school to $10,196 at the elementary school, raising questions about resource allocation and its impact on foundational learning.