Rutherford El, Mesquite TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Rutherford El

Rutherford Elementary serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Mesquite, a suburb in Dallas County. The school enrolls a small population of students, the bulk from grade three through five, and reflects the demographics of a predominantly Hispanic, economically disadvantaged community. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's test results show mixed performance across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, fourth-grade proficiency is notably stronger than the other tested grades, with about half meeting or exceeding state standards. Fifth-grade English results are similar. In contrast, third-grade English proficiency is low, and a large portion of third-grade students took the STAAR assessment in Spanish, where proficiency was markedly lower. Math proficiency runs consistently below English, with third grade particularly weak. Fifth-grade science proficiency is also low. Across all subjects tested, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among the districts in Dallas County.

A striking pattern in the data is the presence of Spanish-language STAAR assessments, particularly in third grade and fifth grade. This likely reflects bilingual learners or a bilingual program model, but the data provided does not specify enrollment counts in English learner programs or details about the school's language instruction structure. A parent exploring this school would want to ask directly about the bilingual or dual-language pathway, how students are placed, and how the school transitions students between languages. The presence of low proficiency on Spanish assessments suggests the cohort may be early in acquisition or that students are being assessed while still developing English proficiency, but the school's specific context and support approach would merit conversation.

The school sits within Mesquite ISD. Housing values in the 75149 zip code are moderately below the Texas state benchmark, and rental costs are in the mid-range. The local economy reflects modest income levels and employment stability typical of suburban Dallas.

Rutherford is a traditional public elementary school with no charter or magnet designation. It serves a young, densely diverse student population with substantial poverty. Academic performance on state assessments is below average for the county, and gaps are particularly visible in early grades and in science. For families considering this school, the key questions center on the instructional approach to bilingual learners, the school's response to early-grade proficiency gaps, and the specific supports and resources available to students working toward grade-level standards.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 35% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 41% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 22% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 42% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 31% · ▲ 23 pts above district

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

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 29% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 11% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

This schoolMESQUITE 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 3Lower-income20%Higher-income0%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income49%Higher-income62%13 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income51%Higher-income50%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income0%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income50%4 pp gap