Summary
Canutillo Middle in Canutillo, TX, serves 717 students in grades 6-8 within the Canutillo Independent School District (Isd), and has recently experienced a sharp decline in its overall state ranking, dropping from the 64th percentile in 2018 to the 30th percentile in the latest data.
This school presents a striking paradox: it operates like two schools in one. On one hand, its advanced coursework program is exceptional. In the 2024-2025 school year, 100% of students taking the English I End-of-Course exam were proficient, and 73% were proficient in Algebra I—rates that surpass even the top-performing regional school, Hornedo Middle. On the other hand, the general education program is struggling significantly, especially in math. Only 7.64% of 7th graders and 21.88% of 6th graders were proficient in math, the lowest scores among all nearby schools and far below state averages. This suggests that resources and effective teaching may be concentrated in advanced classes, leaving the majority of students behind. The school also faces challenges with its special education and English language learner populations, ranking in the 5th and 17th percentiles, respectively.
Compared to its district peer, Jose J Alderete Middle, located just 1.35 miles away, Canutillo Middle is underperforming in nearly every metric. Alderete has a higher overall rank (58th vs. 30th percentile) and higher proficiency in core subjects like 6th-grade reading (47.24% vs. 37.82%). However, there are bright spots: 8th-grade science is a consistent strength, with 52.27% of students proficient, outperforming the state average. The school’s low student-to-teacher ratio of 15.8:1 also offers potential for more individualized attention. For parents, the key takeaway is that Canutillo Middle can achieve excellence, as shown by its advanced programs, but it urgently needs to replicate that success across all classrooms, particularly in math for general education students.
Thank you for your feedback!