Summary:
This analysis examines six middle schools (Grades 6-8) in the 79938 zip code of El Paso, Texas, which are predominantly part of the Socorro Independent School District (Isd) and serve a high-poverty area with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 72.5%.
The standout school in this area is Ssg Manuel R Puentes, a 4-star school that consistently ranks in the top 20-25% of Texas middle schools and boasts the highest Algebra I proficiency rate (86.46%) among Socorro ISD schools. Special Rafael Hernando Middle is another top performer, also holding a 4-star rating with the highest rank percentile (83rd) in the zip code and a perfect 0.0% dropout rate. In contrast, El Paso Leadership Academy - Middle East is the lowest-performing school with a 0-star rating for three consecutive years, ranking in the bottom 7% of Texas middle schools. East Montana Middle presents an interesting anomaly: despite being a 1-star school with the highest poverty rate (88.91%) and lowest general math scores, it has the highest Algebra I proficiency rate (87.23%) of all six schools, suggesting a targeted advanced math program.
Key findings show that while poverty is a major factor, it is not destiny—Special Rafael Hernando Middle achieves top performance despite having the second-highest poverty rate (72.98%). The Socorro ISD schools generally outperform the Clint Independent School District (Isd) and El Paso Leadership Academy schools. Social Studies is a consistent weakness across the area, with only one school exceeding the state average. However, Algebra I proficiency is a clear strength, with every school outperforming the state average of 54.03%, averaging 76.6% across all schools. Dropout rates are also exceptionally low (0.0% to 0.3%) compared to district averages.
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