Barbara Fasken El, Midland TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Barbara Fasken El

Barbara Fasken Elementary serves preK through sixth grade in Midland, a West Texas oil-and-gas city where energy sector dominance shapes the local economy and community identity. The school draws from a student body that reflects Midland's demographic makeup: a substantial majority are Hispanic, a large share are white, and a meaningful proportion qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need across the enrollment.

The school's test results show mixed performance. In English language arts, Barbara Fasken sits at about the midpoint in reading proficiency across fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, with roughly half of students meeting the proficiency benchmark on the STAAR assessment. Fourth grade stands slightly above that pattern. In math, the school posts similar results: proficiency hovers near or slightly below the fifty-percent mark in third, fifth, and sixth grades, with fifth grade performing marginally better. Science proficiency in fifth grade runs lower, at roughly forty-four percent. Across all subjects, the school shows substantial shares of students approaching proficiency, suggesting room for growth but not dramatic failures. When placed against other districts in Midland County, Barbara Fasken's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, positioning it in the stronger half of district performance in the county. A parent may want to look further into whether the school's phonics-based reading approach, adopted districtwide around 2023, is beginning to show effects.

The school operates within Midland ISD, which is undergoing significant structural change. In November 2023, the district passed a major bond package—the largest in community history—to build two new comprehensive high schools and an elementary school, addressing years of overcrowding. That bond will trigger a district-wide grade reconfiguration in 2028, when sixth graders move from elementary schools into middle schools. For Barbara Fasken families, this means sixth grade will leave the building in 2028, reshaping the school's composition and potentially its educational structure.

Midland itself is a growth community driven by energy sector employment. The housing market is stable, with median home values somewhat above the state benchmark and rents reflecting the city's prosperity and energy-driven economy. The city is car-dependent and spread across suburbs, though downtown is undergoing revitalization efforts. For families, this means living in Midland typically involves suburban-style neighborhoods and driving children to school and activities.

The data does not include information on special education enrollment, English learner population counts, staffing levels, or chronic absenteeism, so those dimensions cannot be described. Similarly, graduation rate and discipline data do not apply to an elementary school. The school's website was not available in the provided information.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 354%

School 54% · District 41% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 50% · ▼ 28 pts below district

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

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 43% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 43% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 46% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 40% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 31% · ▲ 22 pts above district

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

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 51%

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

Science

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 27% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolMIDLAND 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-income0%Higher-income40%40 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income58%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income39%Higher-income70%31 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income44%Higher-income58%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income0%Higher-income66%66 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income39%Higher-income75%36 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income58%10 pp gap