Don Haskins Pk-8, El Paso TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Don Haskins Pk-8

Don Haskins PK-8 is a regular public school serving early childhood through eighth grade in El Paso, with enrollment concentrated in the middle grades (sixth through eighth). The school sits in a neighborhood on the city's established east-central side, part of a sprawling metro area shaped by cross-border commerce and suburban expansion.

The academic picture is uneven. In English language arts, the school shows moderate strength at the elementary and middle levels, with around half of students reading at proficiency in grades six through eight. Third-graders perform better, roughly at the midpoint. Mathematics is a softer spot across the board. Third graders reach close to half proficiency, but that drops steeply in grade four (among a small tested cohort in Spanish) and remains weak through the middle grades, with eighth-grade math proficiency in the low range. Science proficiency in grade five is quite low; by eighth grade it improves notably. Social studies at eighth grade is also low. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among El Paso County districts, a qualified strength given the school's student composition. A parent may want to look into how the school is addressing the math gap, which appears to widen as students progress.

About two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need. The school is substantially Hispanic (roughly nine-tenths of enrollment) and serves primarily students from the immediate neighborhood. Special education and English learner enrollment data were not available in the public record.

The school is part of El Paso ISD, which is undergoing significant change. The district approved a major consolidation plan called the Destination District Redesign to address a projected budget deficit and declining enrollment. Eight elementary schools are being closed in two waves; Don Haskins itself is not on that closure list, but the reshuffling of school boundaries and busing patterns affects which families' students attend which schools. At the same time, EPISD is expanding specialized programs across campuses—Montessori, STEM academies, fine arts pathways, and before- and after-school learning centers—creating varied options for families who stay in or move into the district. The district lowered its property tax rate for 2024-25 but rising property values still increased typical household tax bills. The board is also considering a bond election as soon as November 2026 to renovate aging facilities, replace cooling systems, and upgrade security, which would carry both cost and opportunity for facility improvement.

The broader El Paso housing market is moderate in price relative to the nation, with home values and rents on a modest upward trajectory. The city itself is a mix of older urban neighborhoods and suburban sprawl, with downtown revitalization underway and steady expansion on the far east and west edges where newer, larger homes appeal to families. The economy is anchored by Fort Bliss, health services, three public school districts, and cross-border trade. Parks, libraries, and transit (including a streetcar in the downtown core) provide civic amenities, though the city is car-dependent overall.

Don Haskins serves a neighborhood school population with clear economic and demographic characteristics. Its reading outcomes are serviceable; its math results warrant scrutiny. The school operates within a district in flux—consolidating and losing enrollment, but also building new academic offerings. For a family considering this particular school, the questions are whether the neighborhood fits, whether the current and post-redesign busing arrangements work, and whether the school's approach to math intervention aligns with their child's needs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 43% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 47%

School 7% · District 47% · ▼ 40 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 46% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 28% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 33% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 356%

School 56% · District 51% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 443%

School 43% · District 55% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 60% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 50% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 47% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 52% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 26% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 47% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 24% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolEL PASO 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 4Lower-income57%Higher-income60%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income49%Higher-income81%32 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income65%29 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income33%Higher-income61%28 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income69%32 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income35%Higher-income70%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income8%Higher-income43%35 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income15%Higher-income47%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income12%Higher-income23%11 pp gap