Summary
Southern Hills Elementary in Wichita Falls, TX, is a PK-5 school serving 521 students in the Wichita Falls Independent School District (Isd), where over 82% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the school has historically ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Texas elementary schools, though it recently improved to the 15th percentile statewide.
While Southern Hills has faced persistent academic challenges, there are notable bright spots. In the most recent school year, 5th-grade math proficiency reached 45.71%, outperforming both the district (44.48%) and state (47.38%) averages—a significant turnaround from the previous year's 22.09%. Additionally, African American students at the school saw a dramatic improvement, jumping from the 4th percentile statewide in 2023-2024 to the 58th percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 3-star rating. However, the school struggles in other areas, particularly 5th-grade science, where only 9.2% of students were proficient, compared to 25.5% in the district and 29.57% statewide. There is also a notable gender gap, with male students ranking in the 30th percentile and female students in the 8th percentile.
Compared to nearby schools, Southern Hills stands out for its high spending—$12,503 per student—yet lower academic outcomes. For instance, Fowler Elementary (4.98 miles away) spends $9,530 per student and ranks in the 81st percentile, consistently scoring 30-40 percentage points higher in reading and math. Even Fain Elementary, just 1.19 miles away, outperforms Southern Hills in most subjects despite serving a lower percentage of students in poverty (66.98% vs. 82.73%). The school's Gifted and Talented program rebounded from the 5th percentile to the 50th percentile, suggesting effective support for high-ability students, but overall progress remains inconsistent, with improvements often cohort-specific rather than systemic.
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