Summary
Charles Middle is a mid-sized public school in El Paso, TX, serving 372 students in grades 6-8 within the El Paso Independent School District (Isd), where over 80% of students come from low-income households. This school stands out for its exceptional work with students from low socio-economic backgrounds, ranking in the 69th percentile statewide for this group—a full 16 points higher than its overall rank—and it also shows strong results with its African American students, who scored in the 69th percentile. A key advantage is its remarkably low student-teacher ratio of 12.3:1, which is much smaller than nearby schools like Richardson Middle (16.7:1) and Hornedo Middle (17.8:1), allowing for more individualized attention.
However, Charles Middle faces notable challenges. Its Gifted and Talented students rank in the 15th percentile, suggesting a lack of advanced coursework or enrichment programs to challenge high-achievers, a weakness not seen at higher-performing schools like Hornedo. Additionally, like nearly all middle schools in the district, it struggles with 7th-grade math, reporting a 0% proficiency rate on the STAAR exam, though 8th-grade math scores (45.3% proficient) are strong compared to the district average (37.5%). On a positive note, the school excels at accelerating students into Algebra I, with 55.6% of test-takers proficient in 2025-2026, outperforming both the district and state averages.
Compared to its closest neighbor, Richardson Middle (1.6 miles away), Charles Middle achieves similar overall rankings (53rd vs. 55th percentile) but with a lower student-teacher ratio and better 8th-grade math scores. In contrast, Hornedo Middle (6.3 miles away) is a top performer (84th percentile) but serves a much more affluent population, making Charles Middle’s success with its own low-income students even more impressive. The school also maintains an exceptionally low dropout rate of 0.3%, well below the district’s 1.8%, indicating a supportive environment that keeps students engaged. Overall, Charles Middle is a school that effectively serves its community by leveraging small class sizes to close opportunity gaps, despite systemic math challenges and a need for stronger gifted programs.
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