Summary:
In zip code 78140, there is one middle school, Nixon-Smiley Middle, serving grades 5 through 8 in the rural community of Nixon, Texas, as part of the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District (CISD).
Nixon-Smiley Middle has a small enrollment of 280 students and stands out for its strong performance in 8th Grade Reading, where 70% of students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year, significantly exceeding the state average of 58.69%. The school also excels in advanced coursework, with 84.21% of its Algebra I test-takers achieving proficiency in 2024-2025, nearly doubling the state average. Additionally, the school boasts a very low student-teacher ratio of 9.4:1, which allows for more individualized attention. However, the school faces a critical challenge in standard Mathematics instruction for grades 5 through 7, with 7th Grade Math being a particular weakness—only 5.66% of students were proficient in 2025-2026, compared to the state average of 29.41%. This stark contrast between reading and math performance suggests a need for targeted math interventions.
Despite spending $14,284 per student—above the Texas average—and having a low student-teacher ratio, the school struggles to translate these resources into strong math outcomes for most students. The school's overall district ranking has fluctuated, earning a 3-star rating in recent years after a notable jump from a 2-star rating in 2023-2024. Performance in Science and Social Studies is inconsistent, with 8th Grade Science slightly above the state average in 2024-2025, but 5th Grade Science falling well below. With a high percentage of students (80.71%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a high-poverty population, yet its reading and advanced math programs demonstrate that academic success is achievable. The key takeaway for parents is that Nixon-Smiley Middle offers strong reading instruction and advanced math opportunities, but families should be aware of the significant gaps in standard math proficiency for the middle grades.
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