Miller Elementary

Miller Elementary in Richardson, TX, is a K-5 school serving 315 students as part of the Plano Independent School District (Isd), and it has experienced a significant and concerning decline in academic performance over the last few years, dropping from a top-tier 92nd percentile ranking in 2022-2023 to a 59th percentile ranking in the current school year.

This decline is broad-based, with the school now scoring below the Plano ISD district average in nearly every subject and grade level. For example, 3rd-grade math proficiency at Miller is 42.37% compared to the district average of 55.82%, and 5th-grade math is 52.46% versus 61.57%. This is a stark contrast to nearby schools like Boggess Elementary (91st percentile) and Stinson Elementary (62nd percentile), which continue to outperform the district average. The school's struggles are particularly acute for certain student groups, with its effectiveness for low socio-economic status students dropping from the 96th percentile to the 10th percentile, and for English Language Learners falling from the 73rd to the 13th percentile. However, the school has maintained strong performance with African American students (70th percentile) and Gifted and Talented students (84th percentile).

Interestingly, the decline is not due to a lack of resources. Miller Elementary has a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2, which is lower (better) than its Plano ISD peers like Schell Elementary (13.1) and Boggess Elementary (13.9), and its per-student spending of $11,293 is higher than these same peers. This suggests the root cause of the downturn may lie in factors such as changes in curriculum, school leadership, or instructional strategies. Meanwhile, schools in the neighboring Wylie Independent School District (Isd), like Don Whitt Elementary and Tibbals Elementary, consistently rank in the 98th-99th percentile, creating a highly competitive educational landscape where Miller is losing ground.