Bovina Elementary

Bovina Elementary is a small, rural PK-5 school in the Bovina Independent School District (Isd), serving approximately 198 students in a high-poverty area where nearly 88% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school currently ranks in the 1st percentile statewide for the 2025-2026 school year, placing it among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Texas, a steep decline from its peak at the 48th percentile in 2020-2021.

This performance gap is especially stark when compared to nearby Farwell Elementary, just 12.4 miles away, which ranks in the 72nd percentile. In the most recent testing, Bovina’s proficiency rates are roughly half or less than Farwell’s in nearly every subject and grade—for example, 4th Grade Reading at Bovina is 13.79% versus Farwell’s 68.89%, and 5th Grade Math is 17.39% versus 78.38%. Even Friona Elementary, which serves a similarly high-poverty population (82.33%), outperforms Bovina in core subjects like 3rd Grade Math (42.42% vs. 20%). This suggests Bovina’s challenges go beyond economic factors.

Despite having the highest per-pupil spending ($11,899) and the smallest class sizes (11:1 student-teacher ratio) among its neighbors, Bovina achieves the worst academic results. The school has shown it can succeed—5th graders hit a 58.06% reading proficiency rate in 2023-2024, above the state average—but this success was not sustained. Every student subgroup (including English Language Learners and Special Education) is performing in the bottom 5% of the state, pointing to a systemic issue. A fundamental review of curriculum, instruction, and leadership is needed to reverse this trajectory and ensure resources translate into student growth.