Summary:
Zip code 78061 in Pearsall, TX, is home to two elementary-level schools within the Pearsall Independent School District (Isd): Ted Flores Elementary (serving PK-2) and Pearsall Intermediate (serving grades 3-5), both serving a high-poverty community where over 80% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Ted Flores Elementary stands out for its lower student-to-teacher ratio of 16.9:1, which is a positive for early childhood development, but it lacks standardized test data since STAAR testing begins in 3rd grade. In contrast, Pearsall Intermediate has a higher ratio of 20.7:1 and shows consistently low academic performance, though there is a slight upward trend in its state ranking from the 4th percentile to the 8th percentile. Per-student spending is nearly identical at both schools (around $11,500-$11,800), slightly above the Texas average, yet this investment has not translated into high test scores.
Key metrics reveal a "pipeline" problem: proficiency rates at Pearsall Intermediate are critically low in 3rd grade (17% in Math, 21% in Reading), suggesting the PK-2 years are not adequately preparing students. However, there is a glimmer of progress as 5th graders outperform 3rd graders in both Reading (37% vs. 21%) and Math (40% vs. 17%), indicating cumulative positive effects. Science is a major weakness, with only 13% of 5th graders proficient compared to the state average of 30%. The district's challenge is to translate its above-average spending into more effective strategies that address the specific needs of its student population from the very start of their education.
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