Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 76002

This analysis examines seven elementary schools in zip code 76002, serving parts of Arlington, TX, and reveals a significant performance divide between the Arlington Independent School District (Isd) and the Mansfield Independent School District (Isd), with local AISD schools currently outperforming their MISD counterparts on average.

The standout school in the area is Beckham Elementary (AISD), which defies expectations by achieving the highest state ranking (84th percentile) despite having the highest poverty rate (79.59% free/reduced lunch). Its 4th-grade math proficiency rate of 80.36% nearly doubles the state average. Another strong AISD performer is Pearcy Stem Academy, which has climbed to the 76th percentile. In contrast, Martha Reid Academy (MISD) remains a top-tier school with a 4-star rating, but its ranking has declined from the 78th to the 70th percentile. The MISD schools in this zip code present a "tale of two halves": while Martha Reid excels, Imogene Gideon Elementary has collapsed from the 56th to the 18th percentile, and Janet Brockett Elementary also struggles. Ashworth Elementary (AISD) and Thelma Jones Elementary (MISD) fall in the middle range.

Key metrics show the average state percentile for all seven schools is 53.6%, with AISD schools averaging 68.3% compared to MISD's 42.5%. The average free/reduced lunch rate is 67.9%, and the student-teacher ratio averages 12.9:1. Notably, there is no clear correlation between spending per student and performance, as the highest-spending school (Imogene Gideon at $11,660) is the lowest-ranked. A critical takeaway is that science scores are a universal weakness, with all tested AISD schools falling below the state average. For parents, the data suggests that the local AISD schools in this zip code are currently a stronger overall option than the local MISD schools, though individual school performance varies widely.