Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 76208

This analysis examines four elementary schools serving grades PK through 5 in the 76208 zip code, which covers parts of Denton and Shady Shores, Texas, and includes schools from both Denton Independent School District (Isd) and Lake Dallas Independent School District (Isd).

Pecan Creek Elementary and Shady Shores Elementary are the standout performers in the area. Pecan Creek is the only school to have achieved a 4-star rating and leads in Reading and Math proficiency, though its state ranking has declined from the 72nd to the 57th percentile in recent years. Shady Shores consistently earns a 3-star rating and excels in 5th-grade Reading and Math, while also having the lowest percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch. In contrast, Hodge Elementary and Stephens Elementary face significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 20-30% of Texas elementary schools with test scores frequently below district and state averages. Notably, Stephens has the highest per-student spending ($12,880) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.3), yet it remains one of the lowest-performing schools, while Pecan Creek has the lowest spending ($10,798) and a higher ratio (12.9) but achieves the best results.

A key takeaway is the strong link between economic disadvantage and performance: the two schools with the highest rates of free/reduced lunch (Hodge at 83.94% and Stephens at 63.27%) are the lowest-performing, while the two with lower rates (Pecan Creek at 46.95% and Shady Shores at 38.45%) are the highest-performing. Math proficiency is a consistent weakness across all schools, with scores often 15-20 percentage points lower than Reading, especially at Hodge and Stephens. Additionally, Hodge administers many STAAR tests in Spanish, where Math proficiency is often in the single digits, highlighting challenges for English Language Learners. Within Denton ISD, performance varies dramatically, with Pecan Creek as a high-performing outlier compared to Hodge and Stephens, while Lake Dallas ISD’s Shady Shores shows more consistent quality.