Palo Pinto El, Palo Pinto TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Palo Pinto El

Palo Pinto Elementary serves a small, rural school community in the county seat of Palo Pinto in central Texas. Enrollment sits at just over one hundred students across pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with the population distributed fairly evenly from pre-K through third grade and then thinning in the upper elementary years. The school sits in an unincorporated community of very small population centered on the historic courthouse square, surrounded by ranching and agricultural land in the Brazos River valley.

The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic enrollment. Just over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating moderate economic need in the attendance zone. No data on English learners or special education enrollment is available from the sources provided.

Test results on the current STAAR assessments show broadly solid proficiency across grades and subjects. In English language arts, fourth graders show the strongest performance, while sixth-grade results dip somewhat. In mathematics, the school shows strength in the middle grades—fifth graders in particular demonstrate high proficiency—though both third and sixth graders show more modest attainment. A small number of students take the state science assessment in fifth grade, with results at a respectable level. Across all tested subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it at the top of the six districts in Palo Pinto County, a meaningful distinction that reflects solid academic standing within its immediate peer group.

The district operates on a four-day school week, a structural feature that has been in place since 2023 and is set to continue. School days run from mid-morning through late afternoon on Monday through Thursday, with Fridays off. This schedule preserves the state-mandated instructional minutes but requires longer daily hours. Families should understand that this rhythm differs from the traditional five-day week and affects childcare arrangements and weekly routines.

Housing values in the Palo Pinto area remain modest and stable, making the community affordable for families on varied incomes. The broader county is growing slowly, and the recent opening of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park a short distance away may provide long-term economic and recreational benefit to the area, though the immediate Palo Pinto town itself has been demographically stable for many years. Employment in the immediate vicinity is limited; nearby Mineral Wells, a few miles away, anchors more substantial employment and services for the county.

This is a small, neighborhood school rooted in a quiet rural setting. It is neither a choice school nor a specialized program; it serves as the local elementary for families in and around Palo Pinto. For parents seeking a small-school environment, modest proficiency results that reflect real community context, and affordability, the school fits. Parents should be prepared for the four-day week schedule and understand that upper elementary math attainment, while acceptable, shows room for growth and may warrant conversation with the school about support pathways.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 24 pts above state median

Grade 476%

School 76% · District 76%

▲ 35 pts above state median

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 45 pts above state median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 58%

▲ 24 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 386%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 40 pts above state median

Grade 494%

School 94% · District 94%

▲ 45 pts above state median

Grade 5100%

School 100% · District 100%

▲ 46 pts above state median

Grade 683%

School 83% · District 83%

▲ 31 pts above state median

Science

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 63 pts above state median

This schoolPALO PINTO 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-income88%Higher-income83%5 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income88%Higher-income100%12 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income88%Higher-income33%55 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income75%Higher-income78%3 pp gap