The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 47% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Jake Silbernagel El
Jake Silbernagel Elementary is a small, early-grades school in Dickinson serving prekindergarten through third grade. The school sits in a rapidly growing area where Dickinson ISD has experienced enrollment pressure that led voters to approve a major bond in 2023 funding new facilities and capacity. Silbernagel's own enrollment is modest, with a diverse student body where most qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and the plurality speak Spanish at home.
The school's test results come from STAAR assessments administered in Spanish in the 2024-25 school year, available only for third grade. In math, third graders showed proficiency at a moderate level. In English language arts, proficiency was lower. Across all tested content and grade levels, the school shows broader patterns: a large majority of students meet or approach the standard in math, while fewer do so in ELA, and only a modest share demonstrate mastery in either subject. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Galveston County districts, a meaningful strength given the composition of the student body and the challenges many students bring to school.
State data does not include enrollment figures for students receiving special education services or counts of English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the scope of those populations and the support offered.
Dickinson itself is a suburban, car-dependent town anchored by parks, the public library, and access to Dickinson Bayou. Housing costs are modest relative to national benchmarks, and the area sits along the I-45 corridor between Houston and Galveston. The town is in active redevelopment, with plans for mixed-use downtown projects and new single-family subdivisions, driven by spillover growth from greater Houston. Major local employers include the school district itself, healthcare, logistics, and some light industrial activity. Most working residents commute outside the city.
The district as a whole is managing rapid growth and overcrowding at some campuses. The bond approved in 2023 includes a new pre-K through fifth-grade education complex of substantial capacity, a Career and Technical Education facility, and security upgrades, addressing long-term enrollment trends. These improvements will reshape the district's physical plant over the coming years and are relevant to any family considering a move into the area.
For families drawn to a small elementary in a growing, affordable suburban setting with a Spanish-language-immersion or bilingual instructional model, Silbernagel represents one option within a district managing significant demographic and infrastructure change. A parent interested in the school's specific language program design, classroom composition, or support services should contact the school or district directly, as those details do not appear in the standardized data available here.
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