Summary
Menard Elementary/Jh is a small, rural PK-8 school in Menard, TX, serving 182 students within the Menard Independent School District (Isd). The school has shown impressive improvement over the past several years, climbing from a 1-star rating to a stable 3-star rating, and now ranks in the 50th percentile of Texas elementary schools. With 61.5% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a community with high economic need, and it spends significantly more per student ($16,558) than the state average, which is common for small, rural districts.
The school's standout strength is its 8th-grade social studies program, where proficiency rates of 55.6% and 60% in recent years far exceed the state average of about 30%. Upper elementary reading is also a bright spot, with 6th graders achieving an exceptional 91.7% proficiency rate in 2024-2025, well above the state's 54.2%. However, the school faces persistent challenges. Mathematics is a systemic weakness across almost all grade levels, with proficiency rates below the state average in every grade except 8th. Early literacy is another concern, as 3rd-grade reading proficiency dropped to just 28.6% in 2025-2026, compared to the state's 51.1%. Additionally, there is a notable gender gap, with female students performing in the 74th percentile (4 stars) while male students rank in the 41st percentile (2 stars).
There are no other schools within 20 miles of Menard Elementary/Jh, making it the sole educational option for families in the area. The school's high per-student spending has coincided with overall improvement, but it has not yet translated into consistent, above-average performance in core subjects like math and early reading. The declining free/reduced lunch rate, from 73.3% to 61.5% in one year, suggests a changing demographic profile that may require adjustments to instructional strategies. For parents, this school offers strong programs in social studies and upper elementary reading, but targeted support in math and early literacy will be critical for continued growth.
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