Summary
Curtis Elementary in Beaumont, TX, is a PK-5 school serving 509 students within the Beaumont Independent School District (Isd), a district that faces significant challenges statewide. Historically a high-performing school with a 4-star rating in the mid-2010s, Curtis has experienced a notable decline in recent years, dropping from the 84th to the 21st percentile in state rankings over the last decade. Despite this, it remains a relative bright spot in the district, consistently outperforming its immediate neighbors like Martin Elementary, Dr Mae E Jones-Clark Elementary, and Fehl-Price Elementary, which all rank in the single digits.
The most striking differentiator for Curtis is its lower poverty rate, with a free/reduced lunch rate of 62.67%, compared to rates between 89% and 97% at nearby Beaumont ISD schools. This factor likely contributes to its academic advantage, as Curtis scores well above district averages in reading, math, and science. For example, in 2025-2026, 5th-grade reading proficiency at Curtis was 50%, versus the district's 34.8%. However, the school's poverty rate has been creeping up from 55% in 2022-2023, and its performance has declined in tandem, suggesting that support systems may not be scaling effectively. Interestingly, Regina Howell Elementary, located just 0.96 miles away with a similar poverty rate of 61%, now outperforms Curtis in nearly every metric, offering a potential roadmap for improvement.
Subgroup performance at Curtis reveals significant disparities. The school has shown exceptional effectiveness with Hispanic students and English Language Learners, but struggles with African American students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Special Education students saw a dramatic drop from the 93rd to the 27th percentile in recent years. Nearby, the charter Bob Hope School Beaumont serves a high-poverty population but performs at a low 20th percentile, indicating that school type alone doesn't solve challenges. Curtis still outperforms Bob Hope in most elementary grade comparisons, but the school's accelerating decline—especially in the most recent year—is a critical warning sign for parents to monitor closely.
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