Tatum El, Tatum TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Tatum El

Tatum Elementary serves students in the third through fifth grades in a small East Texas community. The school enrolls a broad cross-section of students, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and roughly equal representation among White, Hispanic, and Black students.

State testing in math and language arts shows that just under half of third and fourth graders are reading and solving problems at a proficient level or above. Performance is somewhat stronger in fifth grade, where about half reach proficiency in both subjects. In science, tested only in fifth grade, proficiency is notably lower. Across the school overall, most students have at least approached proficiency in reading, writing, and math, though mastery remains uncommon. Social studies results show a wider gap between students meeting and exceeding the standard.

The school sits in the middle position on overall proficiency when compared to other districts in Rusk County, performing above the median performance in the county. This positioning suggests the school is holding its own academically within its regional peer group, though absolute proficiency rates in each subject area remain modest.

Tatum itself is a dispersed small town in the Piney Woods region, organized around a historic downtown core and a network of lake and country neighborhoods, particularly around Lake Cherokee. The community is car-dependent rather than walkable, and civic life centers on school events at Tatum Eagle Stadium and informal gathering places. The town's economy is anchored by manufacturing, construction, and healthcare, with nearby major employers including Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center and Panola College. Housing in the area is relatively affordable and recently built, and the town is actively pursuing modest growth in new construction.

In November 2024, Tatum ISD passed a voter-approved tax rate election, raising the permanent maintenance-and-operations tax rate while temporarily lowering debt service. The district states the revenue increase funds safety upgrades, technology infrastructure, and staff salary retention. This is a permanent change in the tax structure that will affect property owners going forward, though those aged 65 or older or disabled residents with an Over 65 Homestead Exemption are exempt from rate increases.

The school fits families seeking a small-town, blue-collar community setting with modest academic proficiency, where the peer group is economically mixed and racially diverse, and where performance in reading and math is mid-range for the region. Parents may want to look into the school's specific instructional strategies in science and higher-level mathematics, where proficiency lags further behind.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 3 pts above state median

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 4 pts above state median

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 11 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 344%

School 44% · district not reported

▼ 2 pts below state median

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 555%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · district not reported

▼ 3 pts below state median

This schoolTATUM 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-income32%Higher-income62%30 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income38%Higher-income56%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income69%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income83%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income31%Higher-income66%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income64%Higher-income83%19 pp gap