Summary:
Zip code 78159 is home to a single elementary school, Nixon Smiley Elementary, which serves grades PK through 4 in the rural community of Smiley, Texas, as part of the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District.
Nixon Smiley Elementary has 438 students and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.2 to 1, which suggests smaller class sizes. However, the school faces significant academic challenges. Its state ranking has declined sharply over the past three years, dropping from the 51st percentile (3 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 29th percentile (1 star) in 2025-2026. A very high percentage of students (80.37%) are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating a student body with substantial economic needs. The school spends $13,359 per student, which is notably high, likely reflecting the costs of serving a small, rural, and high-needs population.
The most critical area of concern is 4th grade math, where only 26.09% of students are proficient, compared to the state average of 49.28%. This represents a massive gap and suggests students are falling significantly behind between 3rd and 4th grade in mathematics. Reading scores are also below state averages but are relatively closer, with 3rd grade reading at 43.08% (state: 51.08%) and 4th grade reading at 43.48% (state: 53.04%). The school's declining performance, despite its high spending and low student-teacher ratio, points to potential issues with instructional strategies or curriculum alignment rather than a lack of resources. The downward trend may also reflect the lingering academic impact of disrupted early learning during the pandemic.
Thank you for your feedback!