Located in MCDADE, TX. Serving grades PK through 06.
McDade Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a small rural school within McDade Independent School District in northern Bastrop County. The school sits in the heart of McDade itself, a low-density community of about that size that has grown modestly over the past decade as the greater Austin region expands outward. The setting is spread-out and acreage-oriented rather than subdivision-based, with homes and properties reflecting a strong agricultural character and owner-occupied rural residential pattern.
The school's recent state testing results show uneven performance across grades and subjects. In third grade, reading and math proficiency rates sit around the middle of the scale. Fourth and fifth grades show substantially lower results, with fourth-grade math and reading proficiency both in the lower third. Fifth-grade science proficiency is particularly low. Sixth grade shows recovery in both subjects, with math proficiency approaching the middle and reading improving to a more moderate level. Across all tested grades, a smaller share of students are reaching mastery levels compared to proficiency generally. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts, but this masks volatility within grade levels and a softer floor at fourth and fifth grades that a parent may want to look into further with the school.
The school enrolled a small number of students, just under the mid-range typical for its grade span, spread across eight grade levels from pre-K through sixth. A little more than half the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a large white minority and very small shares of other backgrounds. Data on students with IEPs or English learners was not available.
McDade is fundamentally a rural place where school, churches, and community institutions anchor daily life rather than large employers or formal civic infrastructure. The school district itself functions as a community hub. The median home value in the area is above the state benchmark, and housing is described as property-oriented and typically owner-occupied. The local economy rests on agriculture and small business; most working residents commute to Austin, Bastrop, or Elgin for employment in tech, manufacturing, healthcare, and education. No major employer dominates McDade itself.
The setting is car-dependent and low-density, without the pedestrian infrastructure or fixed-route transit of a town center. Life is described as neighborly and slow-paced rather than hurried. Growth has been gradual rather than rapid, and new construction tends toward custom and manufactured homes on acreage rather than large planned subdivisions. For families seeking a small, rural, home-and-land-oriented community with accessible local schools that are part of everyday community life rather than separate campuses, McDade Elementary fits that profile. For families prioritizing strong or consistent academic achievement across all grade levels or seeking programs and services typical of larger or more densely settled districts, the academic performance data warrants close conversation with school staff about fourth and fifth grade support and overall instructional approach.
Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.
Officially reported figures, 2024-25.
All reported measures, by topic.