Stem Academy at Creek Valley Middle, Carrollton TX

Original Research by School Decision on Stem Academy at Creek Valley Middle

STEM Academy at Creek Valley Middle is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Carrollton, part of Lewisville ISD. The school has an enrollment of about five hundred and sixty students, distributed fairly evenly across its three grade levels. About one-third of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school draws a notably diverse population, with students of Asian, white, Black, and Hispanic backgrounds represented in substantial numbers, along with smaller groups of students of other races and ethnicities.

The school's academic profile shows uneven performance across subject areas and grade levels. In English language arts, results are consistently stronger: about two-thirds of sixth and seventh graders meet or exceed proficiency standards, and this climbs to about seventy percent of eighth graders. Overall, about eighty-six percent of students approach proficiency in ELA, a genuinely solid floor. Math tells a different story. While sixth-grade proficiency sits around fifty percent, seventh-grade math is notably weak, with only about a quarter of students meeting or exceeding standards. Eighth grade rebounds somewhat, with proficiency near the level of sixth grade. Science proficiency in eighth grade is about midway between these poles, and social studies shows the school's most pronounced soft spot, with only about one-third of eighth graders proficient.

When viewed through the lens of all reported proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades, the school sits in the top quartile of districts in Denton County. That positioning reflects the strength in ELA and the solid performance of eighth-grade math and science, though it masks the seventh-grade math challenge that a parent should know about directly. State testing data were not available for sixth and seventh grades in science and social studies, a gap typical of the grade bands those assessments actually cover in Texas.

Carrollton itself is a mature, built-out suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with a diverse population and a mixed economy spanning manufacturing, retail, and services. Housing values have softened modestly in the near term but remain substantial. The city's character is notably dispersed and highway-oriented outside of its historic downtown, though an extensive network of parks and hiking-biking trails threads through the community, and three DART transit stations serve the area. A recent transit-oriented development near downtown has brought new apartments and mixed-use space.

Lewisville ISD has undertaken significant facility and technology investment through recently approved bond measures, but the district is also navigating declining enrollment. In December 2024, the board voted to close five elementary schools effective 2025-26, a decision that signals budget pressure and may affect feeder patterns and attendance boundaries. The district adopted a cell phone ban as part of the 2025-26 code of conduct. For a family considering this school, these district-level changes are worth monitoring, particularly any boundary shifts that might affect attendance.

The core academic question a parent should investigate further is the dip in seventh-grade math proficiency. This could reflect a single cohort, a curriculum or pacing issue, or transition challenges specific to that grade, and the school is well-positioned to discuss what is happening and what supports exist for students who struggle in that subject. Beyond testing, information on the school's stated STEM identity, course offerings, project-based learning approaches, or partnerships with local employers and universities would help a family understand whether the school delivers on its name in ways that matter to them.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 47% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 725%

School 25% · District 27% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 856%

School 56% · District 52% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 63% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 767%

School 67% · District 60% · ▲ 7 pts above district

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

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 66% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Science

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 52% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 39% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 9 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolLEWISVILLE 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 6Lower-income46%Higher-income80%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income46%Higher-income78%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income50%Higher-income78%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income24%Higher-income65%41 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income16%Higher-income34%18 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income33%Higher-income66%33 pp gap