Carrizo Springs Intermediate

Carrizo Springs Intermediate serves 437 students in grades 4 through 6 within the Carrizo Springs Consolidated Independent School District, a rural district in Texas facing significant socioeconomic challenges, with about 79-84% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Academic performance on STAAR exams is consistently below state averages, with mathematics being the most critical area of concern. For the 2025-2026 school year, only 21% of 4th graders, 19% of 5th graders, and 22% of 6th graders were proficient in math—a gap of 16 to 29 percentage points behind the state. This represents a catastrophic decline from just two years prior, when 5th grade math proficiency was 47%. The school's 5th grade science scores are also alarmingly low at 15% proficient, and have been dropping steadily. However, there is a notable bright spot: until recently, 6th grade reading scores were nearly on par with the state average, suggesting that focused intervention programs can work. When compared to its feeder school, Carrizo Springs J H, the intermediate school's math struggles are compounded, as only 10% of 7th graders there are proficient in math. Interestingly, Sterling H Fly Junior High School in the neighboring Crystal City Independent School District (Isd) performs even worse in 7th grade math (4% proficient), though Carrizo Springs Intermediate generally outperforms it in most subjects.

A key takeaway is that increased spending—up 28% to $12,111 per student—has not translated into better outcomes, indicating resources may not be effectively targeting learning loss. The data suggests two distinct student pipelines: a small group of "survivors" who excel in advanced courses like Algebra I, and the vast majority who struggle at every grade level. The single most critical area for immediate intervention is 5th grade mathematics, where the 19% proficiency rate represents a catastrophic failure point that must be addressed to prevent students from falling further behind in middle school.