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Stephens Elementary

Q: Is Stephens Elementary a good school?

Stephens Elementary ranks 3059 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

3059^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Stephens Elementary in Shady Shores, TX, is a PK-5 school serving 422 students as part of the Denton Independent School District (Isd). The school has seen a significant decline in its state ranking over the past five years, dropping from a 4-star rating to its current 2-star rating, and now ranks in the 34th percentile. A key factor is that over 63% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a much higher rate than most nearby schools. While the school invests more per student ($12,880) than its neighbors and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.3:1, these resources have not yet translated into competitive academic outcomes.

Academically, Stephens Elementary consistently underperforms compared to nearby schools. For example, in 4th-grade math, only 22% of Stephens students were proficient, compared to 73% at Hawk Elementary (just 2.7 miles away) and 55% at both Houston Elementary and Nelson Elementary. Even schools in the neighboring Lake Dallas Independent School District (Isd), such as Shady Shores Elementary and Corinth Elementary, rank significantly higher. Mathematics is a persistent weakness across all grade levels, with scores consistently below both state and district averages.

Despite these challenges, there are bright spots. The school has shown remarkable improvement with its Special Education students (rising from the 15th to the 65th percentile) and Gifted and Talented students (from the 23rd to the 71st percentile). Additionally, 5th-grade Reading scores have improved to 64% proficiency, exceeding both district and state averages. However, the school's performance with its largest group—economically disadvantaged students—has declined sharply. The most urgent priority for Stephens Elementary is a targeted, data-driven intervention to improve mathematics instruction and better support its high-needs student population.

422

Students ?

11.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,223

Per pupil spending ?

63.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

133 Garza Rd
Shady Shores, TX 76208

(940) 369-0800

District: Denton Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Stephens Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Bettye Myers Middle
High:	Ryan High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

41.9%

White:

26.1%

Hispanic:

19.2%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Stephens Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 72nd percentile in 2019 → 34th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (41% vs 51% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped from its 72nd-percentile peak (2019) to 34th (2026)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school41%

District avg48%

Texas avg51%

3,059^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 27% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^th of 25Elementary Schools in the Denton Independent School District (Isd)

549^th of 951Denton Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	35.4	3059 of 4627	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.2	3354 of 4651	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.8	3672 of 4710	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.5	2756 of 4647	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.1	2857 of 4581	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	64.5	1356 of 4578	70.4%	★★★★☆
2019	65.8	1239 of 4479	72.3%	★★★★☆
2018	57.2	1621 of 4359	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	50.3	1948 of 4329	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	33.3	3143 of 4286	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	43.3	2682 of 4320	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	61.0	1704 of 4260	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.3	1475 of 4221	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	69.2	1180 of 4206	71.9%	★★★★☆
2011	66.7	1391 of 4095	66.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.5	1768 of 2406	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.7	1677 of 1905	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.8	2238 of 2443	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	27.3	1960 of 2443	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.0	1988 of 2421	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	54.2	900 of 2444	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.6	1078 of 2515	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.3	1611 of 2483	35.1%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	30.0	3516 of 4461	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.8	3460 of 4331	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.6	2135 of 4295	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.9	2376 of 4240	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	78.5	431 of 2918	85.2%	★★★★☆
2019	10.6	3282 of 3333	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	58.9	1075 of 3226	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.8	3271 of 4575	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	31.5	2718 of 3744	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.9	3173 of 4658	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.7	2692 of 4588	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.6	2915 of 4561	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.5	1331 of 4499	70.4%	★★★★☆
2019	68.5	1091 of 4348	74.9%	★★★★☆
2018	67.0	1160 of 4306	73.1%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	67.9	882 of 3075	71.3%	★★★★☆
2025	59.1	1317 of 2619	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.9	2268 of 2958	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	63.4	1262 of 3006	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.8	2033 of 3184	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	67.8	1030 of 3106	66.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.8	2211 of 4413	49.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.4	1898 of 3644	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.7	2733 of 4465	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.9	1882 of 4401	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.3	2493 of 4376	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	39.8	2590 of 4329	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.5	2233 of 4188	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	69.9	861 of 4168	79.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	30.9	3530 of 4520	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.2	3082 of 3705	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.9	4447 of 4594	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	38.3	2992 of 4521	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.8	3586 of 4477	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	43.9	2465 of 4451	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.0	1307 of 4309	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.9	2630 of 4264	38.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	38.8	2843 of 4582	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.6	2684 of 3739	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.8	3730 of 4647	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.5	2671 of 4585	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.2	2783 of 4563	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.1	1385 of 4498	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.5	1433 of 4357	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.0	2151 of 4319	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.9	1525 of 4301	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.4	2513 of 3549	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.1	3637 of 4292	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	55.0	1348 of 4086	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	33.8	2745 of 3952	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.4	2929 of 3799	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.0	1983 of 3684	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.0	3260 of 3558	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	41.3	1914 of 3006	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.3	1198 of 2612	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	41.7	1948 of 3108	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.6	1228 of 3106	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.7	1597 of 3082	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.1	1010 of 3082	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.0	734 of 3142	76.6%	★★★★☆
2018	59.3	1170 of 3127	62.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2025)85th percentile+57 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)71st percentile+37 vs school

Special Education (2026)65th percentile+31 vs school

Hispanic (2026)50th percentile+16 vs school

Male (2026)38th percentile+4 vs school

White (2026)36th percentile~ school

Female (2026)29th percentile-5 vs school

African American (2026)27th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)22nd percentile-12 vs school

At Risk (2022)21st percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading51%-3 vs state

Mathematics30%-17 vs state

★

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Schools Near Stephens Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)		STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)						STAAR Mathematics (2026)						STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Stephens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	133 Garza Rd	Shady Shores	76208	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 369-0800	422	37	11.3	63.3%	110 (26.1%)	177 (41.9%)	81 (19.2%)	18 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	33 (7.8%)	35.4	3059^th of 4627 public elementary schools	33.9%		31.2	3354^th of 4651 public elementary schools	27.9%	295				40.6	52.5	64.0				32.8	22.0	34.7					$11,223
Shady Shores Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 Dobbs Rd	Shady Shores	76208	Denton County	Lake Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 497-4035	554	43	12.8	38.4%	277 (50.0%)	55 (9.9%)	188 (33.9%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.7%)	54.9	1869^th of 4627 public elementary schools	59.6%		63.5	1403^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	69.8%	466				43.0	54.3	63.2				30.4	55.6	61.3					$10,242
Pecan Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4400 Lakeview Blvd	Denton	76208	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 369-4400	656	51	12.9	47.0%	222 (33.8%)	68 (10.4%)	292 (44.5%)	29 (4.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (6.4%)	52.6	1984^th of 4627 public elementary schools	57.1%		63.1	1430^th of 4651 public elementary schools	69.3%	554	10.0	30.0	14.3	51.1	53.3	59.0				45.4	44.3	47.0					$10,061
Corinth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3501 Cliff Oak Dr	Corinth	76205	Denton County	Lake Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 497-4010	537	40	13.4	41.0%	226 (42.1%)	65 (12.1%)	164 (30.5%)	38 (7.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (7.8%)	55.9	1808^th of 4627 public elementary schools	60.9%		43.3	2549^th of 4651 public elementary schools	45.2%	741				56.6	51.4	61.4				63.2	34.3	49.5					$9,036
Founders Classical Academy Corinth	Public, Charter	K-5	800 Point Vista Rd	Corinth	76210	Denton County	Texas College Preparatory Academies	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(972) 316-3663	578	33	17.3	18.5%	287 (49.7%)	62 (10.7%)	117 (20.2%)	83 (14.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.8%)	51.9	2017^th of 4627 public elementary schools	56.4%		52	2032^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	56.3%	15				47.4	57.1	71.9				30.5	61.9	30.3					$8,739
Hawk Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2300 Oakmont Dr	Corinth	76210	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 369-1800	610	44	13.9	19.2%	341 (55.9%)	36 (5.9%)	124 (20.3%)	58 (9.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	49 (8.0%)	82.5	678^th of 4627 public elementary schools	85.3%		85.8	541^st of 4651 public elementary schools	88.4%	137				69.9	75.7	73.3				45.7	73.2	60.0					$8,414
Lake Dallas Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	190 Falcon Dr	Lake Dallas	75065	Denton County	Lake Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 497-2222	500	40	12.5	54.0%	182 (36.4%)	27 (5.4%)	266 (53.2%)	9 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.6%)	32.7	3245^th of 4627 public elementary schools	29.9%		42.4	2613^th of 4651 public elementary schools	43.8%	632				37.3	45.5	59.8				34.3	32.5	31.7					$9,549
Nelson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3909 Teasley Ln	Denton	76210	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 369-1400	527	41	12.8	38.7%	213 (40.4%)	65 (12.3%)	181 (34.3%)	25 (4.7%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (7.6%)	51.2	2052^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	55.7%		64	1388^th of 4651 public elementary schools	70.2%	664				48.3	59.4	57.1				36.8	55.0	37.4					$10,066
North Texas Collegiate Academy-East Campus	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	1851 Oak Grove Pkwy	Little Elm	75068	Denton County	North Texas Collegiate Academy	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 292-3562	313	16	19.3	64.5%	54 (17.3%)	90 (28.8%)	138 (44.1%)	19 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.8%)	44.3	2427^th of 4627 public elementary schools	47.5%		53.5	1934^th of 4651 public elementary schools	58.4%	493				48.6	37.5	71.1	37.0	23.1	18.2	51.4	50.0	34.2	18.5	15.4	18.2	18.2	$8,085
Houston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3100 Teasley	Denton	76205	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(940) 369-2900	537	41	13.1	44.3%	246 (45.8%)	87 (16.2%)	126 (23.5%)	37 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	37 (6.9%)	64.1	1394^th of 4627 public elementary schools	69.9%		59.7	1595^th of 4651 public elementary schools	65.7%	201				52.1	57.7	69.3				45.2	55.1	51.1					$9,805

Frequently Asked Questions about Stephens Elementary

How many students attend Stephens Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 422 students attended Stephens Elementary.

What district is Stephens Elementary in?

Denton Independent School District (Isd)

Is Stephens Elementary a good school?

Stephens Elementary ranks 3059^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Stephens Elementary attend?

Students who attend Stephens Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bettye Myers Middle
High : Ryan High School

What is the racial makeup of Stephens Elementary?

Students at Stephens Elementary are 42% African American, 26% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.