Summary:
Zip code 78616 (Dale, TX) is home to two elementary schools serving grades PK/K through 5th: Camino Real Elementary and Alma Brewer Strawn Elementary, which belong to different districts—Bastrop Independent School District (ISD) and Lockhart Independent School District (ISD), respectively.
Alma Brewer Strawn Elementary is the standout school in this area, consistently outperforming Camino Real Elementary across nearly all academic metrics. For the 2025-2026 school year, Alma Brewer Strawn ranked in the 21st percentile statewide (1-star rating), while Camino Real ranked in the bottom 1st percentile (0-star rating). Proficiency rates in 3rd Grade Reading and Math at Alma Brewer Strawn are roughly double those at Camino Real—42.19% vs. 21.01% in Reading, and 36.76% vs. 15.44% in Math. Both schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates of 89.22% at Alma Brewer Strawn and 80.86% at Camino Real. A key differentiator is the student-to-teacher ratio: Alma Brewer Strawn has a lower ratio of 15.6:1 compared to Camino Real's 19.5:1, which likely supports more individualized attention.
Despite these differences, both schools face significant challenges. Science proficiency is a universal weak point—5th Grade Science scores were just 11.88% at Camino Real and 9.09% at Alma Brewer Strawn in 2024-2025, far below the state average of 29.57%. Additionally, both schools offer STAAR tests in Spanish, with very low performance (often in single digits), highlighting difficulties supporting bilingual students. Camino Real has been in the bottom 2% of Texas elementary schools for three consecutive years, indicating systemic issues. For parents, Alma Brewer Strawn offers stronger academic outcomes and smaller class sizes, while both schools need improvement in science and bilingual education.
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