The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Douglass El
Douglass Elementary serves a small cohort of students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a central El Paso neighborhood. Nearly all of its students come from families with incomes low enough to qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, and about four out of five students are Hispanic, with the remainder white or from other groups. The school is part of El Paso ISD, a district currently navigating substantial change tied to declining enrollment and a budget shortfall.
On state assessments administered in 2024-25, Douglass showed uneven results across subjects and grades. In English language arts, fourth and fifth graders performed somewhat stronger, with roughly a third to nearly half of students reaching proficiency. Third grade ELA proficiency was markedly lower. Math proficiency rates were similarly modest across the grade span, ranging from roughly a quarter to a third of tested students. Science results, based on fifth-grade testing, were quite low, with only a single student meeting proficiency out of roughly thirty tested. When collapsed across all tested subjects and grades, proficiency rates sat below the midpoint relative to other districts in El Paso County, placing Douglass in the bottom quartile of county schools on overall academic performance. A parent may want to look further into what academic supports, literacy and numeracy interventions, or other instructional strategies the school is using to address these gaps.
The school's enrollment is roughly five hundred students spread fairly evenly across its six grade bands. The neighborhood is economically challenged; median home values in the area are below the state benchmark, and the rent-to-income burden is high, reflecting a community where housing affordability is strained. Mortgage rates and the broader economic backdrop make homeownership difficult for many families.
El Paso ISD itself is in the midst of significant restructuring. In November 2024, the board voted to close eight elementary schools district-wide as part of what it calls the Destination District Redesign, intended to address declining enrollment and a projected budget deficit. The first wave of closures took effect in 2025-26. Douglass Elementary was not listed among the schools being closed, but the broader consolidation means families should understand that the district landscape is shifting. At the same time, EPISD has been adding specialized academic programs at some schools, including Montessori classrooms, STEM and Fine Arts academies, and Extended Day Learning Centers with before- and after-school care. The district is also considering a bond election as soon as November 2026 to upgrade aging facilities, replace cooling systems, and improve security, which would carry tax implications for homeowners.
The city itself is a mix of older, established neighborhoods closer to downtown and newer suburban expansion farther out. It is a border city shaped by its position across from Ciudad Juárez, with a predominantly Hispanic character and a strong cross-border economy. Downtown is undergoing revitalization with new housing development, though the pace of change has been gradual. Most neighborhoods are car-oriented and low-density, with the school serving families in a central area where affordability constraints are acute.
For a family considering Douglass, the school's location in a close-knit, economically constrained neighborhood and its current test results are facts to weigh alongside the district's broader reorganization and the availability of specialized programs at other EPISD campuses. The school itself was not among those slated for closure, offering some stability, but the district's financial and enrollment pressures are reshaping educational options across El Paso.
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