Butler El, Arlington TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Butler El

Butler El is a public elementary school in Arlington serving prekindergarten through sixth grade, with an enrollment of about six hundred students. The school sits in a suburban setting in Tarrant County in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The school's academic profile shows mixed results across tested grades and subjects. In English language arts, Butler El demonstrates stronger performance. Third graders perform well in reading, with proficiency rates that place most students at or above the state's "meets" standard. By sixth grade, the proficiency rate in ELA reaches its peak, with a majority of students meeting or exceeding expectations. In fourth and fifth grade, ELA proficiency remains solid and consistent.

Mathematics performance is more uneven. Third graders and fifth graders show respectable proficiency rates, while fourth grade math lags noticeably below the other grade levels. Sixth grade math rebounds to a respectable level. Science is assessed only in fifth grade, where proficiency sits notably below ELA and math, suggesting this may be a subject area the school is working to strengthen.

Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places Butler El in the top quartile among Tarrant County's districts, a meaningful indicator of relative strength in a large, competitive county.

The student body is diverse. White students make up just over half the enrollment; Hispanic students represent a substantial share, followed by smaller populations of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic disadvantage below the national midpoint and suggesting a mixed-income catchment area.

Arlington ISD, Butler El's parent district, has undergone significant recent changes. The district approved universal free pre-K for all four-year-olds, a program that now accepts students regardless of family income or residence, with curriculum centered on STEM. Voters recently approved bond funding for new schools and renovations. However, the district faces declining enrollment that has prompted school closures and consolidations, including the permanent closure of Blanton Elementary. These shifts will reshape attendance zones and capacity decisions across the district for years ahead. In spring 2026 the district also adopted new state-approved mathematics materials in a close board vote, meaning classroom math instruction changed districtwide.

Housing in the area is moderately priced for the Dallas-Fort Worth region, with median values slightly above the state benchmark. Rents are stable and remain affordable relative to household income. The economic context shows steady unemployment and mortgage rates in a range typical for the current period.

A parent considering Butler El should expect solid reading instruction and an academically diverse peer group. The math program warrants a closer look, particularly given the recent curriculum adoption and the variable performance across grades. Science instruction also appears to be an area developing further. The school's position at the top of the county's proficiency measure reflects capable overall instruction. The broader context of Arlington ISD's enrollment decline and facility changes means families should track whether Butler El's attendance boundaries or capacity could shift as the district consolidates or repurposes buildings.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 361%

School 61% · District 16% · ▲ 45 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 13% · ▲ 34 pts above district

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

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 17% · ▲ 52 pts above district

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

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 36% · ▲ 31 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 374%

School 74% · District 20% · ▲ 54 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 466%

School 66% · District 42% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 575%

School 75% · District 47% · ▲ 28 pts above district

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

Grade 677%

School 77% · District 47% · ▲ 30 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 6% · ▲ 43 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

This schoolARLINGTON ISD, 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-income55%Higher-income84%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income74%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income72%Higher-income76%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income56%Higher-income85%29 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income38%Higher-income73%35 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income54%21 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income67%Higher-income69%2 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income74%26 pp gap