Florence W Stiles Middle

Florence W Stiles Middle in Leander, TX, is a high-performing public school serving 1,493 students in grades 6-8 within the Leander Independent School District (Isd).

Stiles Middle stands out as an elite school, ranking in the 99th percentile statewide—17th out of 2,335 middle schools in Texas. This places it well above nearby schools like Cedar Park Middle (88th percentile) and Artie L Henry Middle (89th percentile), and on par with the top-tier charter Basis Cedar Park (100th percentile). Test scores are exceptional across the board, often double or triple state averages. For example, 6th-grade math proficiency is 85.42% (state: 38.57%), and 8th-grade social studies is 74.59% (state: 31.69%). A standout achievement is that 100% of students taking Algebra I are proficient, far exceeding district and state rates. The school also excels with all student subgroups: English Language Learners rank in the 99th percentile statewide, and Special Education and low-income students consistently rank in the 96th-99th percentiles, showing that success is driven by effective teaching, not just demographics.

One interesting pattern is a "7th-grade math dip" seen across all area schools, where proficiency drops due to more complex concepts. At Stiles, 7th-grade math proficiency is 69.39%, which is still far higher than any nearby school’s 7th-grade score. The school has shown a consistent upward trajectory over the past decade, climbing from the 93rd percentile to its current elite status. While Basis Cedar Park has slightly higher raw scores, Stiles serves a much larger and more diverse student body (1,493 vs. 405 students), making it the highest-performing traditional public middle school in the region.