The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Math. The lowest is 32% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Ryan El
Ryan Elementary sits in Denton, a city shaped by two universities and marked by a downtown courthouse square that anchors civic life. The school serves roughly mid-sized enrollment for its grade band, from pre-K through fifth grade, and draws families from a mixed residential area south and east of downtown where single-family homes and quieter suburban development prevail.
The student body reflects Denton's diversity. Close to half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves a roughly balanced mix of white and Hispanic students, with smaller populations of Asian and Black students. Some students in the lower grades take the Spanish-language version of the state assessment, which accounts for the separate proficiency numbers in the test data and reflects an apparent Spanish pathway or dual-language presence in the building.
Academic performance is a soft spot that a parent may want to look into directly with the school. In math, third grade and fifth grade show proficiency rates around the midpoint or slightly below, while fourth grade Spanish-assessed students show low proficiency. In English language arts, the same pattern appears: fifth graders are at a modest threshold, third graders below it, and the small fourth grade Spanish group low. Fifth grade science proficiency is also below half. Across all tested content and grade levels, the school sits in the bottom quartile among the county's districts on overall proficiency.
The district context matters here. Denton ISD has been growing rapidly within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and recently faced budget pressures. In November 2025, voters approved a tax rate increase to address a shortfall and fund teacher salaries, safety, and programs after six consecutive years of rate cuts. The district is also carrying out a major capital bond passed in 2023 to build new schools and replace aging facilities. Ryan Elementary was not identified as a replacement or new campus in that bond language, so it sits in the existing stock. The district also repurposed a chronically low-performing elementary school for the 2026-27 school year, which signals active district attention to academic outcomes.
Housing in the ZIP codes serving Ryan Elementary runs modest to moderate. Home values show a recent small decline, while rents have held relatively flat. The area is affordable enough that a renter spends roughly one quarter of income on housing, and a buyer with standard financing terms might see a mortgage near or below monthly rent. This is middle-ground territory for the region, neither the expensive downtown near campus nor the newest suburban fringe.
The school itself is open and in standard operation. It is not a charter, magnet, or specially designated campus. Grade-level enrollment is fairly even across the elementary years, with slightly smaller pre-K cohort, which is typical. Whether Ryan has specialized programs, reading intervention, or other in-school supports was not available in the data. The two universities nearby may create a backdrop of educational emphasis in the community, though no specific university partnerships with the school were noted.
For a family considering this school, the core trade-off is clear: it is a regular public elementary in a stable, affordable residential area with solid facilities ahead, but recent test results show students are not meeting grade-level standards at rates the district is achieving elsewhere. That gap is real enough to warrant a conversation with school leadership about instruction, class composition, staffing, and what families can expect in the way of support for their child's progress through the grades.
See more original research from School Decision →