Summary:
The schools in zip code 78650 (McDade, TX) are served by the small, rural McDade Independent School District (Isd), which includes just two schools: McDade Elementary (PK-6) and McDade High School (7-12), with a combined enrollment of 377 students.
The most striking finding is the dramatic performance gap between the two schools. McDade High School is the standout, showing a clear upward trend with a state ranking that has improved for three consecutive years, reaching the 53rd percentile. It boasts a strong 91.3% graduation rate and a very low dropout rate of 0.6%. The high school also exceeds state averages in four out of five End-of-Course (EOC) exams, including Biology (72.41%) and U.S. History (76.67%). A key factor is its favorable student-teacher ratio of 8.5:1 and higher per-student spending ($13,470). In contrast, McDade Elementary is struggling, with state rankings consistently in the 15th to 29th percentile. Its test scores are significantly below state averages, with 3rd-grade Reading proficiency dropping to just 13.64% in the most recent year.
An interesting anomaly is the "Algebra I Cliff" at the high school, where proficiency was a catastrophic 5.56% in 2024-2025, though it improved to 11.54% the following year. Meanwhile, the elementary school's scores fluctuate wildly from year to year due to its small enrollment of 208 students, making it difficult to assess true instructional effectiveness. Overall, the district appears to be strategically investing resources into the upper grades, which is yielding positive results in graduation rates and EOC scores, while the elementary school faces significant challenges that need targeted attention.
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