The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Wise El
Wise Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through third grade in Tyler, on the eastern edge of the city. The school enrolls a diverse body of students, with about half Hispanic and roughly a quarter White, a quarter Black, and a small share of other backgrounds. About four in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a neighborhood of economic need.
The most recent state assessment results, from the 2024-25 school year, show reading proficiency at about the midpoint statewide and math proficiency slightly below it. On reading, roughly four in ten third graders scored at the proficient level or above; two-thirds reached the lower proficiency threshold of "approaches." Math proficiency rates fell a few points below reading, with about two in five reaching the proficient level and roughly seven in ten at approaches. These numbers suggest core skills are developing but with room for growth, particularly in math. Science results are more dated (from 2018-19), at which point proficiency was comparable to reading at about two in five students.
The comparison fact-set positions Wise Elementary above the midpoint of overall proficiency among the nine school districts in Smith County, though the county itself carries a wide range. This places the school in a stronger position than many of its neighbors within the district and county context.
The school is part of Chapel Hill Independent School District, which in May 2023 passed its first bond in decades, a major investment that funds a new junior high school, a new Career and Technical Education center, and expansions across all campuses. The district has also launched the "Academies of Chapel Hill," a new educational model for high schoolers built around career pathways with community college and university partnerships, though that initiative applies to high school and does not affect elementary grades.
Tyler itself is the county seat and economic hub of East Texas, anchored by two major hospital systems and home to Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler. The city is growing steadily and is known as the Rose Capital of America. Housing costs are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks. The downtown is undergoing a multi-year redesign aimed at walkability and public space, though the city overall remains car-oriented. Schools are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered downtown.
For families considering Wise Elementary, the school offers a grounded early-elementary program in a diverse, economically mixed community. Academic proficiency metrics show students making progress in foundational skills, with reading slightly stronger than math. The school sits within a district actively investing in facilities and high school pathways, though those changes are not yet reflected in the primary grades where this school operates.
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