Stephens El, Shady Shores TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Stephens El

Stephens Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Shady Shores, a small lakeside residential town north of Denton. The school enrolls students of mixed backgrounds in roughly equal shares: the student population includes a substantial share who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the racial and ethnic composition spans Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. The neighborhood itself is quiet and low-density, with large lots and mature trees, built around a lake and zoned for half-acre homesites. New residential development nearby has begun adding families to the area.

On state assessments in mathematics and English language arts, Stephens shows mixed proficiency outcomes. In third grade, reading performance is roughly at the midpoint, while math lags notably behind. In grades four and five, proficiency rates in both subjects fall to the lower end, with math particularly weak. Science proficiency at fifth grade is low. Overall across all tested grades and subjects, the school's proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the Denton County districts' schools. Reading achievement is somewhat stronger than math, and younger students perform somewhat better than older ones, but across the board the picture is one of academic challenge. A parent reviewing these results may want to look into further detail with the school about the factors shaping these outcomes and what instructional supports or interventions are in place.

The school itself is a regular public elementary of moderate size for its grade band, drawing from families within the Denton ISD attendance zone. Housing values in the 76208 zip code where the school sits are in the mid-range for the North Texas region, and rental costs are modest relative to income. The area is not experiencing rapid population churn; instead it is growing steadily as new families settle in Shady Shores and surrounding communities.

Stephens is situated within Denton ISD, which has undergone significant operational and financial changes. The district passed a major bond in 2023 to fund new schools and facilities across a growing enrollment base, then faced budget pressure that led to a property tax rate increase in 2025 after six consecutive years of cuts. The district consolidated staff positions over two school years, including some classroom roles. At the same time, Denton ISD is relaunching a virtual learning option for fall 2026. These shifts touch all families in the district and reflect broader pressures from sustained growth in the region. For families at Stephens specifically, the most concrete recent development is the bond funding for facility improvements and growth capacity, since the school sits in an area where new subdivisions and housing have been moving forward.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 21% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 40% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 13% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 52% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 443%

School 43% · District 52% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 56% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 6% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

This schoolDENTON 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-income48%Higher-income58%10 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income31%Higher-income61%30 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income42%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income35%Higher-income46%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income11%Higher-income48%37 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income47%30 pp gap