Jackie Mae Townsell Elementary

Jackie Mae Townsell Elementary is a PK-5 public school in the Irving Independent School District (Isd) serving 845 students in a high-poverty area, where about 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has faced significant challenges over the past decade, with its state ranking declining from the 36th percentile in 2015-2016 to the 8th percentile currently, placing it in the bottom quintile of Texas elementary schools. While the school spends slightly above the state average per student ($10,776), this has not translated into strong academic outcomes overall.

The most striking comparison is with Great Hearts Irving, a charter school less than a mile away that serves a much lower-poverty population (19.75% free/reduced lunch) and ranks in the 66th percentile—a 58-percentile-point gap. Within the district, however, the contrast with Brandenburg Elementary is particularly instructive: Brandenburg serves a similar high-poverty population (81% free/reduced lunch) but ranks in the 61st percentile, suggesting that school-level factors like leadership and instruction can drive success even in challenging circumstances. Townsell does outperform some nearby district schools like Johnston Elementary (2nd percentile) and Lee Elementary (4th percentile), but it lags behind Farine Elementary (36th percentile) and Barton Elementary (27th percentile).

Despite these challenges, there are notable bright spots. The school's Spanish-language math instruction is a clear strength: in 3rd grade math, 42.42% of students were proficient, far exceeding the district average of 18.28% and the state average of 27.95%. The school is also relatively effective for its English Language Learner students, who ranked in the 32nd percentile in 2025-2026. However, science scores are critically low—only 17.35% of 5th graders were proficient in English-language science, and 0% in Spanish-language science. Additionally, the school struggles to serve its Gifted and Talented students, who ranked in the 2nd percentile, indicating a need for more challenging instruction for high-ability learners.