Summary
Rockdale Intermediate in Rockdale, TX, serves 344 students in grades 3-5 and is part of the Rockdale Independent School District (Isd), a district ranked in the bottom 25% of Texas. The school has experienced a significant and sustained academic decline over the last five years, dropping from the 68th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 28th percentile for the 2025-2026 school year, earning a 1-star rating. This downward trend is a stark contrast to nearby schools like Thrall Elementary (86th percentile) and Thorndale Elementary (76th percentile), which are improving or maintaining high ranks within their higher-performing districts.
Rockdale Intermediate consistently lags behind state averages across all tested subjects and grade levels. For example, in 4th Grade Math, the school’s proficiency rate is 36.61%, compared to 79.07% at Thorndale Elementary and 69.86% at Thrall Elementary. This universal underperformance is a key differentiator, as nearby schools often excel in at least one subject. The school also struggles with core student subgroups, earning 1-star ratings for nearly every group, including Female, Hispanic, White, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socio-Economic Status students. Notably, the school spends $10,727 per student, which is higher than the spending at higher-performing Lexington Elementary ($9,430) and comparable to Thrall ($10,426) and Thorndale ($10,449), suggesting that funding is not the primary issue.
Despite the overall decline, there is one interesting anomaly: the Gifted and Talented (GT) program. In 2024-2025, GT students ranked in the 77th percentile (4 stars), a massive jump from the 5th percentile (0 stars) just two years prior. This extreme swing suggests the GT program may be highly effective for a small number of students, but the school system is failing to support the majority. Additionally, a glimmer of hope appeared in 5th Grade Reading during the 2024-2025 school year, when proficiency reached 60.2%, exceeding the state average of 57.83%. However, this success was not sustained, dropping back below the state average the following year. The data strongly indicates that the challenges facing Rockdale Intermediate are systemic, likely tied to district-level policies or instructional strategies, rather than a lack of resources or a challenging student body.
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