The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on A V Cato El
A V Cato Elementary is a small public school in Fort Worth serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, part of Castleberry ISD. The school enrolls students across the early grades, with a substantial majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a Hispanic population comprising roughly four-fifths of the student body. A modest share of families identify as white or biracial.
The school's academic performance reflects areas of genuine strength alongside challenges a parent may want to explore further with the school. In fifth-grade math, about half of students met proficiency standards. Fifth-grade science, however, shows weaker results; roughly a quarter of students reached proficiency. In reading and language arts, third graders scored at about a third of proficiency, while fourth-grade reading results came in near the midpoint. Across all subjects, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint when compared to other schools in Tarrant County.
The school does not report data on special education enrollment, English learner populations, or discipline rates, so an interested parent would want to ask the school directly about these populations and how it serves them. Similarly, state testing data for grades three and four in Spanish-language assessments were too small to report results, a reflection of the specific language cohorts being tested rather than a weak spot in the school itself.
The broader Castleberry ISD context includes recent capital improvements and changes worth knowing. The district passed its first major bond in over a decade in 2024, earmarked primarily for a significant renovation of Castleberry High School including new science and career-technical labs, completion targeted for fall 2026. That bond triggered a property-tax increase, raising annual costs on an average-valued home in the district. The district also launched a STEM Academy at Irma Marsh Middle School as a school-within-a-school magnet option for sixth graders onward, and in 2025 increased base salaries for experienced teachers under state legislation.
Fort Worth itself is one of the nation's fastest-growing cities, having recently crossed one million residents. Housing costs in the school's zip code sit modestly below the state average but have grown in recent years as the city has expanded. The area pairs a Western heritage identity with urban development, anchored by downtown, cultural institutions, and the Stockyards, though the school's neighborhood is more utilitarian than tourist-oriented. Families moving into the area should expect continued growth, ongoing development, and rising rents alongside the city's expansion.
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