Overton Ray Elementary

Overton Ray Elementary in Burkburnett, TX, serves 526 students in grades 3 through 5 and is part of the Burkburnett Independent School District (Isd), a district ranked in the top 35% of Texas. The school has shown a promising upward trend, reaching its highest state rank in years (43rd percentile) in the 2025-2026 school year, a significant improvement from a low of the 9th percentile in 2017-2018. However, it still lags behind its in-district peer, John G Tower Elementary, which ranks in the 80th percentile and consistently outperforms Overton Ray by 20-30 percentage points in 4th and 5th grade Math and Reading.

A key concern is a consistent decline in student performance as they progress through the grades. While 3rd graders at Overton Ray perform above the state average in Reading (60% vs. 51%) and Math (55% vs. 44%), by 5th grade, proficiency drops well below the state average in both subjects (Reading: 43% vs. 58%; Math: 30% vs. 47%). This pattern is not seen at John G Tower Elementary, where 5th graders outperform 3rd graders, suggesting a systemic issue with instruction or support in the upper grades at Overton Ray. On a positive note, the school shows a notable strength with its Gifted and Talented students, who remain its strongest-performing subgroup.

Compared to nearby schools, Overton Ray occupies a middle ground. It significantly outperforms struggling schools in the Wichita Falls Independent School District (Isd), such as Booker T Washington Elementary (4th percentile) and Burgess Elementary (5th percentile), but is outperformed by high-performing schools in the neighboring Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District, like Bradford Elementary (78th percentile). The school spends less per student ($7,962) than its higher-performing peer, John G Tower Elementary ($9,287), suggesting that improving instructional effectiveness, particularly in the upper grades, is more critical than simply increasing funding.