The Leadership Academy, Tyler TX

Original Research by School Decision on The Leadership Academy

The Leadership Academy is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Tyler, part of Cumberland Academy. It enrolls a student body that is substantially majority white, with meaningful shares of Hispanic, Asian, and smaller populations of Black and multiracial students. The enrollment reflects Tyler's broader demographic makeup and includes a modest share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school operates in a market-rate housing environment where home values sit slightly above the state benchmark and rental costs are moderate.

Academic performance across the school shows a mixed picture that varies notably by grade and subject. In English language arts, the school performs solidly. Third-grade ELA proficiency is above halfway to full mastery, while fourth and fifth grades show strong results. Sixth and seventh grades perform at high levels, and eighth-grade ELA shows solid proficiency across the small cohort tested. Mathematics presents a different pattern. Third-grade math proficiency sits at roughly half; fourth grade improves and sixth grade shows strength, with seventh-grade results notably high. Fifth-grade math proficiency is moderate, and the cohort is quite small by eighth grade, making comparison difficult. Science proficiency at the fifth-grade level is below halfway, a meaningful gap; however, eighth-grade science performance rebounds to strong levels. In social studies, eighth-grade proficiency sits at roughly two-thirds, a moderate result. Overall, when proficiency is averaged across tested subjects and grades, the school ranks in the top tier among the districts serving Smith County.

The school's grade distribution shows a skew toward the younger end. Kindergarten through second grade together account for a large share of the student body, while the upper elementary and middle grades taper steadily. The eighth-grade enrollment is very small, which affects the reliability of those test results. This structure reflects the school's position as a K-8 building in an expanding community, but a parent may want to understand the school's transition plan and whether students move to another school afterward.

Tyler itself is a county seat and regional hub with steady growth. The city offers civic anchors including the Tyler Public Library, parks, a rose garden, recreation facilities, and a transit system that recently shifted to on-demand service. Downtown is undergoing redesign with improved sidewalks and public space. The broader economy is anchored by healthcare employers, higher education, manufacturing, and food companies. Housing market conditions have moderated from rapid post-pandemic appreciation toward greater balance, with more inventory becoming available.

State testing data was available for tested grades and subjects only; participation rates and trend data were not available in the data provided. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies. Special education and English learner enrollment counts were not reported. These gaps are typical of schools that serve only early and middle grades. A parent considering the school may want to ask directly about special education services, language support, and the transition pathway for students leaving eighth grade.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 349%

School 49% · District 25% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 34% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 555%

School 55% · District 25% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 676%

School 76% · District 28% · ▲ 48 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 790%

School 90% · District 26% · ▲ 64 pts above district

▲ 63 pts above state median · ▲ 57 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 373%

School 73% · District 39% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 488%

School 88% · District 38% · ▲ 50 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 590%

School 90% · District 46% · ▲ 44 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 682%

School 82% · District 48% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 7100%

School 100% · District 55% · ▲ 45 pts above district

▲ 51 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 888%

School 88% · District 51% · ▲ 37 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 11% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 36% · ▲ 39 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 27% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

This schoolCUMBERLAND ACADEMY, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income80%Higher-income72%8 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income60%Higher-income47%13 pp gap