Summary:
The six public schools in zip code 75801 (Palestine, TX) serve approximately 3,234 students across two distinct districts—Palestine Independent School District (Isd) and Ut Tyler University Academy—and include elementary, middle, and high school grades, with a high level of economic disadvantage across the area.
The most striking finding is the performance gap between the two districts. Ut Tyler University Academy At Palestine is an academic standout, achieving 95.45% proficiency in English II Reading and a 100% graduation rate, all while spending less per student ($8,617) than any other local school. In contrast, the Palestine ISD schools face significant challenges. Southside Elementary struggles the most, with only 33.33% of 3rd graders proficient in Reading and 28.64% in Math. Story Intermediate has the highest student-teacher ratio (16.2:1) and shows math proficiency as low as 25.22% in 4th grade. Palestine J H and Northside Pri also lag behind state averages, particularly in math and social studies.
Despite these hurdles, there are bright spots. Palestine High School maintains a strong 98.3% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate, with test scores trending upward in four of five core subjects. The district-wide math crisis—where no Palestine ISD school exceeds 53.41% proficiency in Algebra I—and universally low 8th-grade social studies scores (as low as 18.67% at Palestine J.H.) are key areas needing attention. Overall, parents should weigh the exceptional performance of UT Tyler University Academy against the systemic challenges in Palestine ISD, where high poverty rates correlate with lower academic outcomes.
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