The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dilley El
Dilley Elementary serves grades from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small, working-class South Texas town anchored by ranching, agriculture, and the cycling presence of oil and gas employment. The school sits on the west side of town in its own campus area, removed from the highway corridor that defines daily life. Dilley is car-dependent and built around Interstate 35 and Highway 85, about seventy miles south of San Antonio. It's a practical place where most employment centers on energy services, agriculture, corrections, and the school district itself. Housing is affordable and weighted toward older single-family homes on larger lots.
The school serves roughly four hundred thirty-five students, nearly all of them Hispanic and a substantial majority from families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. English learner status and special education enrollment counts were not provided. The student body reflects the economic reality and demographic makeup of rural South Texas, and parents should understand that Dilley Elementary operates in a resource-constrained setting with significant economic need among its families.
On the most recent Texas state assessments, the school's results show a pattern of low proficiency that warrants careful attention. In third grade, about three in ten students met or exceeded proficiency in math and English language arts. In fourth grade, proficiency dropped sharply: roughly one in seven students met the bar in both subjects. Fifth grade showed an uneven picture. In English language arts, about four in ten fifth graders reached proficiency, a notably higher result. In math at fifth grade, proficiency stood at about one in four. In science at fifth grade, proficiency was similarly one in four. Across all tested subjects and grades at the school, measured proficiency sits below what the school system aims for and below the median across other districts in Frio County. When students did meet proficiency, only a very small share demonstrated mastery-level performance.
The school serves only elementary grades, so state testing reports do not include middle or high school results and do not apply here.
Dilley ISD recently placed a bond before voters in May 2025 to fund a new Career and Technical Education facility, a performing arts center, and upgraded athletic training spaces. The district is entering the design phase for the CTE building, signaling investment in hands-on technical pathways. The district also adopted a District of Innovation Plan for 2023-2028 that grants it exemptions from certain Texas Education Code requirements, including flexibility in teacher certification so that certified teachers may teach outside their credentialed field. For a family considering this school, that flexibility affects staffing decisions the principal can make, and parents may want to understand the district's specific practices around assigning teachers to subjects or grades outside their primary field.
The school reports a single program offering: cheerleading. No data was available on counseling services, special education inclusion, tutoring availability, or attendance rates. Parents interested in learning more about academic support, intervention programs, or co-curricular offerings beyond athletics should contact the school directly.
Dilley Elementary is a small elementary school in an economically pressed rural community, serving students with very high financial need and predominantly Hispanic enrollment. The recent proficiency results are low and suggest that students are struggling to master grade-level material, particularly in math. The school and district are working to build new facilities and programs, and that infrastructure investment may shape opportunities ahead, but current academic performance is a significant starting point for any family evaluating whether this is the right fit for their child.
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