Summary:
This analysis examines ten elementary schools in the 79924 zip code of El Paso, Texas, serving grades PK-5 (with one PK-8 school) across the El Paso Independent School District (ISD) and the Ysleta Independent School District (ISD), an area where the average free/reduced lunch rate is 83.1%.
The most significant finding is a stark performance divide between the two districts. The four Ysleta ISD schools—Desertaire Elementary, Dolphin Terrace Elementary, North Star Elementary, and Parkland Elementary—consistently outperform the six El Paso ISD schools across nearly all metrics. For example, in 2024-2025 3rd Grade Reading, the average for Ysleta ISD schools was 64.1%, while for El Paso ISD schools it was 40.2%. Desertaire Elementary stands out as the top performer, with a 4-star rating and the highest proficiency rates in the area for 3rd Grade Reading (84.15%) and Math (71.58%). In contrast, Stanton Elementary (El Paso ISD) is the lowest-ranked school, with a 1-star rating and critically low test scores, despite having the highest per-student spending ($13,926).
Several schools show notable trends. Dr. Joseph Torres Elementary (El Paso ISD) is the most improved, jumping from the 27th to the 52nd percentile in state ranking. Bobby Joe Hill PK-8 (El Paso ISD) shows extreme variability, with strong 5th Grade Reading (73.08%) but critically low middle school math scores, including 0% proficiency in 7th Grade Math. The data also reveals that higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as Desertaire Elementary has the lowest spending ($10,146) but the highest performance. Additionally, several El Paso ISD schools, like Whitaker Elementary, show higher proficiency on Spanish-language STAAR tests, suggesting bilingual programs effectively support English Language Learners.
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