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Gus Birdwell Elementary

Q: Is Gus Birdwell Elementary a good school?

Gus Birdwell Elementary ranks 1369 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1369^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 70% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Gus Birdwell Elementary in Spearman, TX, serves 343 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade as part of the Spearman Independent School District (Isd), with over 66% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This school stands out for its remarkable ability to help students from low socio-economic backgrounds achieve strong academic growth, consistently ranking in the 70th percentile statewide in recent years after a significant rebound from a dip in 2022-2023. The school’s most compelling story is its effectiveness with economically disadvantaged students, who jumped from the 56th percentile to the 87th percentile in just one year, demonstrating a powerful capacity for closing achievement gaps.

When compared to nearby Gruver Elementary in the Gruver Independent School District (Isd), which ranks in the top 10% of Texas elementary schools, Gus Birdwell shows solid but more variable academic proficiency. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Gus Birdwell’s highest reading score was 69.77% in 5th grade, while Gruver achieved 91.3% in 3rd-grade reading. However, this gap is largely explained by differences in resources and demographics: Gruver has a lower poverty rate (42.48% vs. 66.47% free/reduced lunch) and a much lower student-teacher ratio (8.1:1 vs. 11.8:1). Gus Birdwell is achieving above-average results with fewer resources and a more challenging student population, making its performance a stronger indicator of school effectiveness than raw test score comparisons.

Interesting findings include a persistent gender performance gap, with female students ranking in the 84th percentile and male students in the 51st percentile in 2025-2026, suggesting a need for targeted instructional strategies. Additionally, the school has shown exceptional support for special education and English Language Learner students, with both groups making significant gains in recent years. While Gus Birdwell cannot match the elite performance of Gruver, it is a pillar of strength for the Spearman community, demonstrating resilience and targeted improvement that makes it a solid choice for families seeking a school that excels at helping all students succeed.

343

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,254

Per pupil spending ?

66.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

511 S Townsend St
Spearman, TX 79081-4008

(806) 659-2565

District: Spearman Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Gus Birdwell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Spearman J H
High:	Spearman High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

67.6%

White:

30.6%

Two or more races:

1.7%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 51st percentile in 2016 → 70th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Texas average (57% vs 51% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 19 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Texas median (70th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school57%

District avg57%

Texas avg51%

1,369^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 30%▲ up 19 pts since 2016

From top 49% (2016) to top 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

293^rd of 951Spearman Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	64.7	1369 of 4627	70.4%	★★★★☆
2025	64.2	1373 of 4651	70.5%	★★★★☆
2024	75.6	924 of 4710	80.4%	★★★★☆
2023	57.2	1744 of 4647	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.3	1509 of 4581	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.9	815 of 4578	82.2%	★★★★☆
2019	52.4	1904 of 4479	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.7	1503 of 4359	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	56.3	1649 of 4329	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.5	2083 of 4286	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	41.8	2759 of 4320	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	30.5	3384 of 4260	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	20.2	3789 of 4221	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	29.2	3470 of 4206	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	48.7	2486 of 4095	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	43.7	2664 of 3937	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	50.8	2201 of 3884	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	23.3	3339 of 3768	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	46.5	2389 of 3724	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	55.2	1773 of 3476	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2005	68.9	1062 of 3475	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2004	76.1	626 of 3465	81.9%	★★★★☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	51.3	2002 of 4461	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	72.0	648 of 4331	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	34.3	3106 of 4295	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	39.6	2688 of 4240	36.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	57.6	1286 of 3668	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.3	2712 of 3556	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.2	2266 of 3487	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.2	978 of 3446	71.6%	★★★★☆
2019	29.1	2732 of 3333	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.7	2673 of 3226	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	79.3	724 of 4575	84.2%	★★★★☆
2024	85.3	490 of 4658	89.5%	★★★★☆
2023	53.2	1968 of 4588	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.0	1614 of 4561	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.5	1005 of 4499	77.7%	★★★★☆
2019	57.7	1623 of 4348	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.3	1930 of 4306	55.2%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.3	1853 of 4413	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.4	892 of 4465	80.0%	★★★★☆
2023	49.1	2107 of 4401	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.9	1764 of 4376	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.5	743 of 4329	82.8%	★★★★☆
2019	44.6	2339 of 4188	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.3	2256 of 4168	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	70.1	899 of 4520	80.1%	★★★★☆
2024	76.5	613 of 4594	86.7%	★★★★☆
2023	53.1	1970 of 4521	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.3	1658 of 4477	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.9	679 of 4451	84.7%	★★★★☆
2019	44.5	2457 of 4309	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.3	2086 of 4264	51.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	48.0	2243 of 4582	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.0	1477 of 4647	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.0	1628 of 4585	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.2	1413 of 4563	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	81.6	639 of 4498	85.8%	★★★★☆
2019	46.4	2228 of 4357	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	63.7	1287 of 4319	70.2%	★★★★☆

Migrant

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	93.0	1 of 49	98.0%	★★★★★
2021	94.6	1 of 56	98.2%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	45.0	2079 of 4301	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.0	1704 of 4292	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.1	2880 of 4086	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	72.5	605 of 3952	84.7%	★★★★☆
2021	34.6	2437 of 3799	35.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	74.2	638 of 3006	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	75.2	561 of 3108	81.9%	★★★★☆
2023	67.4	901 of 3106	71.0%	★★★★☆
2022	69.4	803 of 3082	73.9%	★★★★☆
2021	80.1	375 of 3082	87.8%	★★★★☆
2019	56.3	1316 of 3142	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.2	709 of 3127	77.3%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Migrant (2022)98th percentile+31 vs school

Female (2026)84th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)80th percentile+10 vs school

White (2026)79th percentile+8 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)65th percentile-15 vs school

Hispanic (2026)58th percentile-12 vs school

At Risk (2022)55th percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2026)52nd percentile-19 vs school

Male (2026)51st percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading57%+3 vs state

Mathematics56%+9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gus Birdwell Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Gus Birdwell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	511 S Townsend St	Spearman	79081	Hansford County	Spearman Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(806) 659-2565	343	29	11.8	66.5%	105 (30.6%)	0 (0.0%)	232 (67.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	64.7	1369^th of 4627 public elementary schools	70.4%		64.2	1373^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	70.5%	4	55.6	42.5	69.2	51.1	45.0	69.2	$10,254
Gruver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	400 Garrett Ave	Gruver	79040	Hansford County	Gruver Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(806) 733-2031	153	19	8.1	42.5%	69 (45.1%)	1 (0.7%)	80 (52.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.0%)	87	510^th of 4627 public elementary schools	89.0%		93.1	268^th of 4651 public elementary schools	94.2%	242	84.0	62.5		84.0	60.0		$10,131

Frequently Asked Questions about Gus Birdwell Elementary

What district is Gus Birdwell Elementary in?

Spearman Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Gus Birdwell Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 343 students attended Gus Birdwell Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Gus Birdwell Elementary attend?

Students who attend Gus Birdwell Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Spearman J H
High : Spearman High School

What is the racial makeup of Gus Birdwell Elementary?

Students at Gus Birdwell Elementary are 68% Hispanic, 31% White, 2% Two or more races.

Is Gus Birdwell Elementary a good school?

Gus Birdwell Elementary ranks 1369^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Gus Birdwell Elementary!

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.