Summary:
Zip code 75754, serving the Ben Wheeler area, is home to two schools within the Martins Mill Independent School District (Isd), a small rural district with 496 students that has earned a strong 4-star rating. The standout school is Martins Mill High School (grades 6-12), which boasts a 4-star rating, a 95.5% graduation rate, and a 0% dropout rate. It significantly outperforms state averages in English II Reading (78.13% vs. 59.88%) and U.S. History (81.36%), and benefits from a low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.9:1. In contrast, Martins Mill Elementary (PK-5) has a 3-star rating but is improving, jumping from the 46th to the 59th percentile in one year.
Key metrics reveal a district with clear strengths and weaknesses. The high school excels in English and History, while the elementary school’s 3rd-grade class is a bright spot, achieving 68.75% proficiency in Reading (17 points above the state) and 59.38% in Math. However, the district faces a "middle school cliff" in math, with 8th-grade math proficiency plummeting to just 16.67%—a 37-point deficit compared to the state average. Similarly, 8th-grade Social Studies scores are alarmingly low at 16.13%, a stark contrast to the high school’s 81.36% in U.S. History. The district spends $14,460 per student at the high school versus $10,052 at the elementary level, correlating with higher performance.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Martins Mill High School provides a strong, supportive environment with excellent outcomes in core subjects and college readiness. However, the elementary school shows a troubling drop in performance between 3rd and 4th grade, and middle school math and social studies require urgent attention. The district’s overall 4-star rating and improving elementary school suggest a positive trajectory, but targeted support for middle school subjects is critical to ensure students maintain their early academic gains.
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