Summary:
The four public schools in zip code 75459, serving approximately 1,265 students in Howe, TX, are part of the Howe Independent School District (Isd) and present a mixed picture of academic performance, with a standout high school and significant challenges at the intermediate level.
Howe High School is the district's clear leader, earning a consistent 4-star rating with strong state rankings and exceptional test scores in Biology (86.4% proficient), English II (81.5%), and U.S. History (79.3%), all well above state averages. It also boasts a near-perfect 98.7% graduation rate and the lowest student-teacher ratio (10.4:1). In contrast, Howe Intermediate is a major area of concern, having dropped to a 1-star rating due to a "math crisis" where only 16.84% of 3rd graders and 19.8% of 4th graders were proficient in math—less than half the state average. Howe Middle shows a declining trend in overall performance but excels in advanced math, with 90.91% of 8th graders proficient in Algebra I. Summit Hill Elementary serves the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (62.85%) but receives the second-lowest spending per student ($9,806).
A key takeaway is the inverse relationship between funding and need: the high school, with the lowest poverty rate (34.99%), receives the highest spending per student ($11,829), while the elementary schools with higher poverty rates get less. This funding disparity may contribute to the achievement gaps seen in lower grades. Despite these challenges, the high school successfully overcomes incoming academic weaknesses, creating an "island of excellence" that contrasts sharply with the struggles at the intermediate and middle school levels.
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