Summary:
The two public schools in zip code 78872 (La Pryor, TX) are part of the La Pryor Independent School District (Isd), serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 439 students in a small, economically disadvantaged community where over 82% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The standout school in this area is La Pryor Elementary, which has shown remarkable improvement, jumping from the 28th percentile to the 58th percentile in state rankings over the past two years. It now outperforms state averages in 4th grade math (58.33% proficient vs. 49.28%) and 5th grade reading (61.29% vs. 58.47%). In contrast, La Pryor Secondary has declined for three consecutive years, dropping to the 29th percentile. While the secondary school struggles in most subjects—with only 14.81% of 8th graders proficient in reading and 6.06% in social studies—it excels in STEM, with 76.92% proficient in Biology and 60.87% in Algebra I, both well above state averages. Both schools benefit from very favorable student-teacher ratios (around 12.8:1) and the district spends significantly above the state average per student ($15,014 for secondary, $12,015 for elementary).
A key takeaway is the "elementary success, secondary struggle" pattern, suggesting gains made in early grades are not sustained through middle and high school. Despite low test scores, La Pryor Secondary boasts a strong 93.9% graduation rate and a very low 0.5% dropout rate, indicating the school effectively keeps students on track to graduate even if academic proficiency is low. This high spending, high-poverty district demonstrates that financial investment alone does not guarantee top academic results, but the elementary school's recent upward trajectory offers a hopeful sign for families considering this area.
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