Summary:
This analysis examines three high schools in Fort Worth, Texas, zip code 76116, which includes one traditional public school and two alternative/charter schools serving grades 9-12 in a diverse urban area.
In this zip code, Premier H S Of Fort Worth stands out as the highest-performing school despite having the lowest per-student spending ($6,384) and a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. It achieved a 64.29% proficiency rate in Biology and 81.82% in U.S. History, far exceeding its peers, and improved its state ranking from the 8th to the 30th percentile in two years. In contrast, Western Hills High School, part of the Fort Worth Independent School District (Isd), is the largest school but has been persistently underperforming, ranking in the 11th-12th percentile for three consecutive years with a 1-star rating. Its Algebra I proficiency (14.05%) is less than half the district average, despite spending $13,530 per student. Richard Milburn Academy Fort Worth, part of the Richard Milburn Alter High School (Killeen) district, faces extreme challenges with a graduation rate of just 18.3%, a dropout rate of 26.8%, and near-zero proficiency in Algebra I and English I Reading, placing it in the bottom 4% of Texas high schools.
Key takeaways include that higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as Premier H S outperforms Western Hills with half the funding. U.S. History is a relative strength across all schools, with even struggling Richard Milburn achieving 41.67% proficiency. The student-teacher ratio also shows a complex picture: Western Hills has the best ratio (13:1) but mediocre results, while Premier H S achieves strong outcomes with a high ratio (24.8:1). Overall, Premier H S is on an upward trajectory, while Western Hills remains stagnant and Richard Milburn is in crisis, highlighting that school model and resource allocation matter more than raw spending alone.
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