Newell E Woolls Intermediate

Newell E Woolls Intermediate in Hondo, TX, serves 375 students in grades 3 through 5 within the Hondo Independent School District (Isd), a community where over 78% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant economic challenges.

The school’s overall academic performance has been consistently low, ranking in the bottom 20% of Texas elementary schools for several years, with a notable decline from the 47th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 15th percentile in 2025-2026. This places it well below state averages in both Reading and Math—for example, only 23% of 3rd graders met proficiency in Reading compared to the state average of 51%. In stark contrast, Castroville Elementary, just 16 miles away in the Medina Valley Independent School District (Isd), significantly exceeds state averages, with nearly 60% of 3rd graders proficient in Reading. This gap highlights district-level differences in outcomes, as Devine Intermediate School in the Devine Independent School District (Isd) also struggles in the bottom 10-15% of schools.

A unique bright spot is the school’s performance with its Gifted and Talented (GT) students, who rank in the 64th percentile statewide—a stark contrast to other subgroups. However, this success raises questions, as the school’s Special Education students rank in the alarmingly low 4th percentile, and economically disadvantaged students rank in the 13th percentile. The decline in performance has occurred despite stable student-teacher ratios and per-student spending comparable to nearby schools, suggesting the root causes may lie in instructional quality or the impact of rising socioeconomic challenges. For parents, this means the school excels with its highest-performing students but urgently needs to address the widening achievement gap for its most vulnerable learners.