Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in the 75672 zip code of Marshall, Texas, serving grades Pre-K or Kindergarten through 5th, with a total enrollment of about 2,468 students, split between the Marshall Independent School District (Isd) and the Elysian Fields Independent School District (Isd).
The standout school is Sam Houston Elementary, which ranks in the 94th percentile statewide—a dramatic outlier compared to other Marshall ISD schools. Despite having the lowest per-student spending ($9,049) and the highest student-to-teacher ratio (17.5:1) in the group, it achieves exceptional test scores, with 76% of 4th graders proficient in both Reading and Math. In stark contrast, Price T Young Elementary and Crockett Elementary rank in the 1st percentile, with critically low proficiency rates—for example, only 15% of 4th graders at Price T. Young were proficient in Math. Wm B Travis Elementary sits in the middle at the 46th percentile, while Elysian Fields Elementary (in the higher-performing Elysian Fields ISD) is a consistent mid-performer at the 61st percentile, with the lowest student-to-teacher ratio (12.5:1) and the lowest poverty rate (51% free/reduced lunch).
A key takeaway is that money does not equal success: the highest-spending school (Price T. Young at $11,581 per student) is the lowest-performing, while the lowest-spending school (Sam Houston) is the highest-performing. This suggests that factors like school leadership and community involvement are more critical than funding alone. Additionally, Math proficiency is a universal weakness across all five schools, even at Sam Houston where Math scores (71%) lag behind Reading (77%). For parents, this data reveals vastly different educational experiences within the same zip code, with Sam Houston proving that high performance is possible even with moderate poverty levels, while the struggling schools highlight the need for targeted support.
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