Norman M Thomas Elementary

Norman M Thomas Elementary in Freer, TX, serves 361 students in grades PK-5 within the Freer Independent School District (Isd), operating in a high-poverty area where 89% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 13.7:1, but its academic performance has consistently lagged behind state averages, with recent proficiency rates in 3rd grade reading (34.62%) and math (19.23%) falling well below Texas benchmarks of 51.08% and 44.33%, respectively.

A notable bright spot is the school's performance in 5th grade math, which has matched or exceeded the state average in recent years—such as 65% proficiency in 2022-2023 compared to the state's 50%. However, this success contrasts sharply with 5th grade science, where only 15.22% of students were proficient in 2024-2025, far below the state's 29.57%. The school's overall state ranking has been volatile, dropping from 2 stars in 2022-2023 to 0 stars in 2024-2025, before recovering slightly to 1 star in 2025-2026. This instability, along with struggles among at-risk students who have remained in the bottom 15th percentile, highlights systemic challenges.

Despite these difficulties, recent test scores from 2025-2026 show encouraging improvement, with 4th grade reading rising from 13.95% to 38.64% and 4th grade math from 14.29% to 34.09%. While still below state averages, this uptick suggests that recent interventions may be gaining traction. The school's high per-student spending ($12,519) and low academic outcomes indicate a need for re-evaluated instructional strategies, particularly in science and for vulnerable populations. There are no other schools within 20 miles for direct comparison, making the state benchmarks the primary reference point for parents evaluating this school.