Best Public Schools in Zip Code 76542

The 76542 zip code in Killeen, Texas, is served by 12 schools within the Killeen Independent School District (Isd), including seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools, with a high average economic disadvantage rate of 60.6% across the area.

For parents, the standout elementary schools are Maude Moore Wood Elementary and Cedar Valley Elementary, both earning 4-star ratings with test scores well above district averages, though Cedar Valley has shown some performance volatility. In contrast, Reeces Creek Elementary and Trimmier Elementary consistently struggle with 1-star ratings and high free/reduced lunch rates above 72%. At the middle school level, Liberty Hill Middle and Charles E Patterson Middle excel in advanced Algebra I, with Liberty Hill achieving an exceptional 86.89% proficiency rate, though their standard grade-level math scores lag behind state averages. For high schools, Chaparral High School is the clear top choice, showing consistent improvement to a 3-star rating with a low dropout rate of 1.3%, while C E Ellison High School has stagnated in the 30th-35th percentile. Pathways Academic Campus, an alternative school, faces severe challenges with a 0-star rating and a 69.7% graduation rate.

A key takeaway is that economic status strongly correlates with performance, as top schools like Maude Moore Wood have lower free/reduced lunch rates near 47%, while struggling schools exceed 69%. Additionally, spending per student does not guarantee success—Pathways spends the most at $10,703 per student but performs the worst, while Maude Moore Wood spends less and excels. A universal weakness across all elementary schools is 5th-grade Science, with proficiency rates as low as 12.4%, signaling a critical area for district improvement.