Summary:
Zip code 76661 is served by a single high school, Marlin High School, which is part of the Marlin Independent School District (Isd) and serves grades 7 through 12 with a total enrollment of 347 students.
Marlin High School presents a striking paradox: it achieves a perfect 100% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate, yet its academic proficiency on state STAAR tests is significantly below state averages. For example, only 32.2% of students are proficient in Algebra I and 38.6% in Biology, compared to state averages of 54.03% and 70.51%, respectively. The school serves a highly economically disadvantaged population, with 98.56% of students receiving free or reduced lunch. The district spends a notably high $22,193 per student, which is well above the Texas state average, yet this investment has not translated into strong academic outcomes, as the school consistently ranks in the bottom 16% of Texas high schools.
Despite these challenges, there are bright spots. In the 2024-2025 school year, Marlin High actually exceeded the state average in U.S. History proficiency (70.59% vs. 67.94%), though this success was not sustained the following year. The school's ability to keep all students in school and on track to graduate, despite overwhelming economic hurdles, is a significant achievement. However, the data also shows inconsistent year-over-year performance, with scores fluctuating dramatically in subjects like 8th-grade Mathematics and English II, suggesting that outcomes can vary heavily depending on the specific group of students in a given year.
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