The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on John and Nelda Partin El
John and Nelda Partin Elementary is a small school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Van Alstyne, a growing North Texas town on the U.S. 75 corridor between McKinney and Sherman. The school sits in a region shaped by rapid residential development driven by major semiconductor manufacturing investment nearby.
The elementary serves a student body that is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of other groups. About one-fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across grades kindergarten through fifth, with smaller pre-K and kindergarten cohorts.
On the most recent state assessments available, the school's academic profile shows strength in English Language Arts and more modest performance in math. In third and fourth grade ELA, roughly two-thirds of tested students met or exceeded proficiency standards. In math, results are lower: roughly half of third graders and fewer than half of fourth graders reached proficiency. A science assessment from the prior year showed about half of fifth graders proficient. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school reports that a substantial majority of students approach grade-level standards, and about half meet or exceed them. This profile places the school in the top quartile of overall proficiency when compared to other districts in Grayson County. The strength in reading and relative weakness in math is a pattern a parent may want to discuss with teachers to understand what support looks like for students working toward math proficiency.
The school operates within Van Alstyne ISD, which faces significant infrastructure and fiscal crosswinds that matter for families considering the area. In late 2025, district voters rejected a substantial bond package that would have funded new schools and expansions to existing facilities. Meanwhile, the district projects rapid enrollment growth tied to new residential development, and is already at maximum bonding capacity under state law. The district did complete a new high school in 2024 and reconfigured grade levels across its buildings as a result of a successful 2021 bond. These shifts mean the district's configuration and capacity are in active flux.
Van Alstyne itself is one of the fastest-growing communities in North Texas. Major new residential developments, including a large mixed-use project, are planned or underway, with first residents expected to arrive within the next year or so. City officials have anticipated that population will grow substantially over the next several years. The town retains a historic downtown core and has a small-town character, though newer growth is concentrated in subdivisions served primarily by car. The area sits on a strategic transportation corridor and near significant regional manufacturing investment, attracting families relocating for employment.
For a family considering this school, the main questions center on whether enrollment growth will strain the building before new capacity comes online, what happens to class sizes and programming if the district remains constrained by the failed bond, and how the school's math instruction addresses the current proficiency gap. The school's strong ELA results and county-level academic position are genuine strengths, but the uncertainty around facility and bond capacity is a material factor to investigate directly with the district.
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