The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on David K Sellars El
David K Sellars Elementary is a public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Fort Worth, located in the city's central-south area. The school enrolls a small student body, nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black minority and very few white students. English learner enrollment data was not available, nor was a count of students with IEPs.
The school's academic results are low. In math, proficiency ranged across grades, with fourth-grade students at about one-third proficiency and fifth-grade students at two-fifths; third-grade proficiency was not reported. In English language arts, results were mixed and thin: fifth-grade Spanish-assessed students reached one-half proficiency, but third-grade Spanish-assessed students reached only one-tenth, and fourth-grade data for Spanish assessment was suppressed due to a very small tested group. Science results for fifth grade Spanish-assessed students showed no proficiency. Overall across all tested subjects and grades, fewer than one-quarter of students met or exceeded proficiency standards, placing the school in the bottom quartile of Tarrant County districts on this measure.
Trend data covers only the current school year, so whether performance is rising, falling, or stable cannot be determined from the available evidence. The school offers instruction in Spanish for at least some grade levels and assessments, suggesting either a dual-language or Spanish immersion program, though program details were not provided.
The neighborhood itself is in a city experiencing rapid growth. Fort Worth crossed the one-million-resident threshold recently and continues adding population, becoming one of the nation's ten largest cities. Growth is visible on the city's western and northwestern edges with new housing. Downtown and the Cultural District serve as civic anchors with museums, public squares, and transit. The housing market has tightened; home values have declined modestly from their recent peak, and rents have also declined slightly, but both remain above the state benchmark. Rent-to-income ratios suggest housing is becoming less affordable for families at median income levels. American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, health systems, and Texas Christian University are major employers.
A parent evaluating this school should consider that current proficiency levels are substantially below the district median, that fifth-grade science results show no proficiency even in a small tested group, and that English language arts results in lower grades are very low. The school appears to serve a high-poverty population with strong English-learner representation. Growth in the city and district may bring new resources or shifting enrollment patterns. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instructional supports are in place, whether the Spanish assessment data reflects a planned program pathway or serves as an interim measure during English acquisition, and what academic gains, if any, have been made in recent years.
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