The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in English language arts. The lowest is 48% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Union Grove El
Union Grove Elementary sits in a small rural school district serving prekindergarten through sixth grade in and around Gladewater, in Upshur County in East Texas. The school has an enrollment of about four hundred students, with just over half qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly white with a modest Hispanic population and very small numbers of other groups.
Academic performance at Union Grove Elementary shows mixed results across tested grades and subjects. In third grade, students reach proficiency in both math and English language arts at comparable rates. Fourth grade represents a notable dip, with proficiency in ELA particularly soft; only about four in ten students meet the standard in reading and language arts that year, while about half meet the math standard. Performance recovers somewhat in fifth grade for ELA but remains at about half for math, and both subjects strengthen significantly in sixth grade, where seven in ten students or more demonstrate proficiency. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at about half. Overall, the school shows an uneven learning trajectory across the upper elementary grades, with fourth grade emerging as a pressure point where both literacy and math instruction may warrant closer attention.
The state assessment framework in Texas reports students across four performance levels: the highest is "masters," followed by "meets," then "approaches," and finally below proficiency. At Union Grove Elementary, a strong majority of students across all subjects hit the "approaches" threshold, meaning they reach at least foundational understanding. However, advancement to "meets" is where the school's overall performance sits: about three-fifths of students across all subjects demonstrate "meets" level work. Only about one-quarter to three-tenths of students attain the "masters" level, indicating that work at the highest level of demonstrated mastery is limited. This pattern holds in both ELA and math, suggesting the school's strength lies in building foundational and grade-level competency rather than in cultivating advanced performance.
Among Upshur County's districts, Union Grove Elementary's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, meaning the school is performing above the middle of the pack in the county. This positions it as a more accomplished school within its immediate peer group, even as individual grade-level and subject results show uneven progress.
The school is not a charter or magnet program; it is a regular public elementary school operating within Union Grove Independent School District. The district serves a very small enrollment area and set a property tax rate for 2024 with a maintenance-and-operations levy that increased from the prior year, a change that directly affects school tax bills for homeowners in the district.
Gladewater, the town the school serves, is a small city of historic character known locally as the "Antique Capital of East Texas," with a downtown anchored by antique shops and a National Main Street designation. The broader area has transitioned from an oil-dependent economy toward retail, services, and light manufacturing. Lake Gladewater offers recreational amenities including a park with fishing, boating, and courts. Housing in the zip code is valued modestly relative to state and national benchmarks, and the market is characterized more by limited supply than price volatility, with lakefront and larger rural parcels in demand. The Lee-Bardwell Public Library, reopened in 2022, serves as a civic anchor. No fixed-route public transit is available, and the layout favors personal vehicles for most travel.
A parent considering Union Grove Elementary should understand that the school demonstrates solid, above-average performance within its county context but with notable variability by grade. Fourth grade performance in particular represents a soft spot worth exploring directly with the school. The asset of proficiency gain in the upper grades, combined with the rural small-town setting and affordable housing market, may suit families seeking a grounded elementary experience in a stable community with low-pressure living. The school's limited advanced-performance percentages suggest it is oriented toward grade-level competency rather than accelerated or enrichment programming. Whether that matches a family's educational priorities is worth clarifying with the school directly.
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