The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bullard Int
Bullard Intermediate serves grades five and six in a rapidly growing town in Cherokee County. The school is mid-sized for its grade band, with balanced enrollment across both grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. State testing data from the most recent year show mixed results.
In English language arts, performance is stronger. Sixth graders reached proficiency at a solid rate, while fifth graders landed above the midpoint. Across both grades, reading and writing skills show the school's ELA students approaching or meeting grade-level benchmarks. Math proficiency is more modest. Both grades sit near or slightly below the fifty percent mark on state assessments, suggesting roughly half the students are meeting grade-level math standards. Fifth grade science proficiency is notably weaker, with less than two-fifths of students reaching proficiency. Parents may want to look into further with the school what supports exist in math and science and how the school is addressing gaps in those areas.
Across tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Cherokee County school districts, which positions this intermediate favorably in its local context despite the softer science and math numbers.
Bullard itself is on a strong growth trajectory. The town has seen meaningful population growth in recent years and continues adding new residential development, from estate lots to garden homes and gated communities. Housing values in the area have remained relatively stable, and the local comprehensive plan envisions continued planned development including a downtown town center. Employment growth has been active as well. This is a community experiencing expansion, which shapes enrollment pressures and the character of the school environment.
The Bullard Independent School District recently undertook its largest capital investment in history through a bond package approved by voters, with construction centered on a new middle school that opened in January 2026. That project is reshaping the district's grade configuration: the new building now houses seventh and eighth graders with sixth graders moving there in August 2026, while the former middle school converts to an early childhood campus for pre-K through first grade, and the elementary campus shifts to grades two through five. For families moving into or already in the district, this means your child's building assignment may differ from what existed before, and buildings will continue to shift through the 2026-27 school year. The district's property tax rate has fallen even as it carries bond debt, with the maintenance and operations rate dropping due to rising property values and state tax compression. A 2024 bond refinancing also lowered the district's long-term borrowing costs. These are the kind of structural changes and tax dynamics that affect a family's actual cost of living in the community.
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