Summary:
The 11 schools in zip code 76543, serving elementary through high school grades in Killeen, Texas, are predominantly part of the Killeen Independent School District (Isd), with the exception of Bell County Inspire Academy from the Inspire Academies district, and face significant socioeconomic challenges as indicated by an average free/reduced lunch rate of 74.5%.
Among traditional schools, Dr Jimmie Don Aycock Middle stands out as the highest-performing, earning a 2-star rating and ranking in the 44th percentile statewide, with the lowest poverty rate in the area at 50.27%. In contrast, Manor Middle and Rancier Middle rank much lower, at the 11th and 18th percentiles respectively, though Rancier Middle shows a remarkable anomaly with 91.43% of its Algebra I students scoring proficient. The elementary schools—Ira Cross Junior Elementary, Peebles Elementary, Brookhaven Elementary, and Hay Branch Elementary—all rank between the 16th and 23rd percentiles, indicating consistent struggles. Killeen High School has a graduation rate of 85.8% and a dropout rate of 4.0%, both worse than district averages, and its state ranking has declined slightly to the 22nd percentile.
The alternative schools—Gateway High School, Gateway Middle, and Bell County Inspire Academy—serve very small, high-need populations with vastly different spending profiles, from $25,317 per student at Bell County Inspire Academy to an extraordinary $63,847 at Gateway Middle. Bell County Inspire Academy, with a 93.18% free/reduced lunch rate, is the lowest-performing school in the zip code, ranking in the 5th percentile. Overall, the data reveals a clear link between higher poverty rates and lower academic performance, with Dr. Jimmie Don Aycock Middle being the notable exception as a bright spot in an otherwise challenging educational landscape.
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