The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Aikin El
Aikin Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Paris, a small county-seat city in northeast Texas where manufacturing and regional medicine anchor the economy. The school enrolls roughly a quarter-thousand students, with a substantial majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a student body that is about two-fifths white, one-quarter Black, one-sixth Hispanic, and the remainder split among other groups and multi-racial students.
The school's most recent state testing results show proficiency levels that fall well below the midpoint among Lamar County districts. In third-grade math, roughly one-quarter of students met or exceeded grade-level proficiency. Fourth-grade math performed somewhat better, with about two-fifths proficient. In English language arts, both grades hovered in the mid-to-low range, with third grade at about one-third proficient and fourth grade slightly lower. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school reported that roughly one-third of students met standards and about one-tenth mastered them. These numbers point to learning challenges that a parent may want to explore further with the school, asking about the specific supports in place for students who are not yet proficient and what instructional changes are underway.
The broader context matters. Paris itself is a city of modest but genuine civic investment. Downtown centers on a historic plaza and a downtown plan focused on pedestrian friendliness, and the community supports a public library, parks, and outdoor recreation including the Northeast Texas Trail. The city is seeing modest manufacturing-driven growth and relatively affordable housing for the region. That economic foundation does not automatically translate to school performance, but it reflects a place that has not hollowed out.
Aikin Elementary has no state graduation rate because it serves only elementary grades. Data on special education enrollment and English learner services were not available. The school sits on Pine Mill Road on the outskirts of the city, on a standard school campus rather than embedded in a downtown or main-street setting.
A parent considering this school should understand that it faces real academic headwinds and is performing below the county average on state measures. That context is important for realistic planning about what support a child may need. At the same time, the school serves a student population that faces economic pressures—more than three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced lunch—and any interpretation of its results should account for the community it serves. The school's size, grade band, and location are straightforward elementary facts; the academic performance is the substantive question to take up directly with school staff.
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