Floyd Elementary

Floyd Elementary in Balch Springs, TX, is a PK-5 campus in the Mesquite Independent School District (Isd) serving 552 students in a high-poverty area, where over 92% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has historically struggled, ranking in the bottom 20-30% of Texas elementary schools, but recent data shows a significant turnaround, climbing to the 40th percentile statewide—its highest rank in years. This improvement is driven by standout performance in 5th grade, where students consistently outperform the district in Reading (58.97% proficient vs. 49.45%) and Math (54.55% vs. 37.39%), a unique "bounce" not seen at nearby schools like McWhorter Elementary.

Floyd Elementary excels in supporting specific student groups, particularly African American students, who ranked in the 61st percentile statewide—a dramatic jump from the 21st percentile two years prior, and unmatched by nearby schools like Hodges Elementary or William M Anderson Elementary. The school also shows remarkable progress with low-income students, leaping from the 12th to the 52nd percentile in just one year, a faster improvement than any neighboring school, including Gilbert Cuellar Senior Elementary in Dallas Independent School District (Isd). Additionally, Floyd has a history of elite performance with Gifted and Talented students, ranking 14th out of nearly 3,000 schools statewide in 2022-2023.

Despite these strengths, challenges remain. Science scores are low, with only 15.52% of 5th graders proficient, a systemic issue shared by nearby schools like John W Runyon Elementary (1.92%) and Pleasant Grove Elementary (8.47%). However, Floyd’s bilingual program shows promise, as 3rd graders taking the Spanish STAAR test perform nearly as well as those taking it in English, and even better in Math. While the school has lower per-pupil spending than its Dallas ISD neighbors, its recent upward trend outpaces many, making it a school to watch in the Mesquite ISD.