Best Public Schools in Zip Code 75844

The three public schools in zip code 75844, serving the Grapeland Independent School District (Isd), include Grapeland Elementary (PK-5), Grapeland J H (6-8), and Grapeland High School (9-12), with a total enrollment of 574 students and a moderate level of economic need reflected in free/reduced lunch rates between 52% and 57%.

Grapeland High School is the standout school, earning a 3-star rating and showing a strong upward trajectory by jumping from the 36th to the 60th percentile in state rankings over three years. It excels in reading and science, outperforming state averages on English I (63.41% vs. 55.43%), English II (65.12% vs. 59.88%), and Biology (73.17% vs. 70.51%), though it struggles with Algebra I (42.42% vs. 54.03%). In contrast, Grapeland J H is on a downward trend, dropping from the 51st to the 27th percentile, and faces critical math challenges—7th-grade math proficiency is just 13.04% compared to the state average of 29.41%. However, its advanced 8th-grade Algebra I students achieved a remarkable 72.73% proficiency rate, far exceeding the state average of 54.03% and even outperforming the high school's Algebra I students. Grapeland Elementary, the largest school with 325 students, shows mixed results: 5th-grade reading meets state averages, but math scores across all grades fall below state benchmarks, with 4th-grade math at just 26.67% versus the state's 49.28%.

A key takeaway is the inverse relationship between spending and performance: the high school spends the most per student ($11,647) and performs best, while the middle school spends the least ($7,908) and performs worst, suggesting resource allocation may impact outcomes. Additionally, math is a district-wide weakness, with every elementary and middle school math score below state averages, except for the advanced middle school Algebra I cohort. The high school's graduation rate is 89.2%, with a dropout rate of 1.8%, while the middle school reports no dropouts. Overall, families should note the high school's rising strength in literacy and science, but be aware of systemic math challenges that begin in elementary grades and persist through high school.