Willett Elementary

Willett Elementary in Forney, TX, is a K-4 school serving 741 students within the Forney Independent School District (Isd), and it has experienced a dramatic and concerning academic decline over the past two years, dropping from a strong 4-star rating (75th percentile) to a 2-star rating (33rd percentile) in the most recent data.

This sharp downturn is the school's most defining feature, especially when compared to nearby schools. For instance, Johnson Elementary, located just 3.57 miles away and with a similar enrollment, has consistently ranked in the 87th-93rd percentile (4-5 stars), while Claybon Elementary has remained stable in the 74th-75th percentile (4 stars). Willett has gone from outperforming these schools to significantly underperforming them. The decline is broad-based, with proficiency rates in both Reading and Mathematics for 3rd and 4th grades falling below district and state averages. For example, only 39.46% of Willett 4th graders are proficient in Math, compared to 47.98% in the district and 49.28% statewide, while Johnson Elementary posted a 77.3% proficiency rate in the same subject.

Perhaps most concerning is that the decline has affected nearly every student group, suggesting a systemic issue rather than a problem with a specific program. The most dramatic drops were seen among students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds, who plummeted from the 64th percentile to the 13th percentile. This is particularly striking because other nearby schools with higher rates of low-SES students, such as Blackburn Elementary (50.76% low-SES, 68th percentile) and Griffin Elementary (47.98% low-SES, 67th percentile), are performing significantly better. On a positive note, the school's Gifted and Talented students have remained stable, indicating that high-achieving students are still being effectively supported. While Willett still outperforms the consistently low-performing schools in the neighboring Crandall Independent School District (Isd) (like Opal Smith Elementary and Hollis T Dietz Elementary), its rapid fall from a position of strength represents a significant loss of competitive advantage for the school and the district.