Summary:
In zip code 76501, there is one middle school, Lamar Middle, serving grades 6 through 8 in Temple, Texas, as part of the Temple Independent School District (Isd).
Lamar Middle presents a mixed picture for parents. The school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.3:1 and per-student spending of $10,738, yet overall academic performance is low, with a 1-star rating and ranking in the bottom quartile statewide for the past three years. A very high percentage of students (76.49%) are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant economic challenges. The most notable strength is in advanced math: 87.5% of students taking the Algebra I End-of-Course exam were proficient in 2024-2025, far exceeding district and state averages. However, this contrasts sharply with general math proficiency, which is alarmingly low—only 14.91% of 7th graders were proficient in math in 2025-2026. Reading scores are also below average, ranging from 31.9% proficiency in 6th grade to 41.88% in 8th grade. A critical weakness is 8th-grade social studies, where only 11.39% of students are proficient, a massive gap compared to the state average of 31.69%.
Despite these challenges, there are some positive signs. The school's state ranking has shown a slight upward trend, moving from the 15th percentile to the 24th percentile. The dropout rate is very low at 0.2%, significantly better than the district's 1.3%. Additionally, 8th-grade math proficiency (37.93%) is a relative bright spot, outperforming lower grades. For parents, this school offers a strong advanced math program for top students but requires significant support for the majority of learners, particularly in general math, reading, and social studies. The favorable student-teacher ratio provides a foundation for potential improvement, but the high poverty rate likely impacts overall learning readiness.
Thank you for your feedback!