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Very Good

#3300 of 8,552 schools in TX

Top 39% in state

Southside EL

Elementary School · Palestine ISD · Palestine, TX

A Palestine ISD elementary school where students score 3 points above what's typical for similar communities.

201 GILLESPIE RD, Palestine, TX 75801

  • Math 41% vs TX 44% (2024)
  • Reading 42% vs TX 54% (2024)
  • 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.8Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-3.47 pts/yr
Data Period2011–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.4Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency41% (2024 STAAR)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42% (2024 STAAR)
Math vs. State Avg-2.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-12.3 pts
Overall Proficiency42% (2024 STAAR, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)38% (model expectation from 2024 STAAR)
vs. Expected+3.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile48th
Resources & Environment8.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.9:1
District spending per student$14,146
Chronic Absenteeism8.7%

Students at Southside EL score 42% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 38%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 STAAR proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. TX average.

Math Proficiency41%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
44%(2024 STAAR)
ELA Proficiency42%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
54%(2024 STAAR)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 14-year record (2011–2024), then recovered 12 points since 2020, reaching 42% in 2024.

Show all 13 years
2011
Math
84%
ELA
92%
2012
Math
63%
ELA
75%
2013
Math
67%
ELA
65%
2014
Math
63%
ELA
64%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
64%
2016
Math
71%
ELA
65%
2017
Math
32%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
46%
2019
Math
43%
ELA
46%
2020*
Math
30%
ELA
29%
2021*
Math
30%
ELA
29%
2022
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2024
Math
41%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2011-2024) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2011-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from TX state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

84.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Southside EL sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 13Car-Dependent
  • Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,873/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Palestine), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$53,485

Median home value

$163,100

Median rent

$1,003/mo

College educated

21.3%

Homeownership

59.1%

Poverty rate

15.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 75801; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Christian Heritage AcademyPrivate · tuition6.0privateK–80.6 mi81Compare →
Ut Tyler University Academy at PalestineCharter · enrollment unverified8.3K–122.7 mi233Compare →
Westwood ELEnrollment path unverified5.43–63.3 mi375Compare →
Westwood PriEnrollment path unverified5.6PK–23.6 mi384Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Palestine ISD

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#3 of 6
District spending per student
$14,146NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
21.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Southside EL is listed in PALESTINE ISD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Southside EL

Southside EL is a public elementary school in Palestine, TX, part of Palestine ISD, serving approximately 460 students in grades 2nd-3rd with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #3,300 of 8,552 schools in TX. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Southside EL

What grades does Southside EL serve?

Southside EL serves students in grades 2nd through 3rd.

How many students attend Southside EL?

Southside EL has an enrollment of approximately 460 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside EL?

The student-teacher ratio at Southside EL is 15.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Southside EL rank in TX?

Southside EL ranks #3,300 of 8,552 schools in TX.

What is Southside EL's MySchoolScout rating?

Southside EL has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Southside EL?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Southside EL has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024).

Is Southside EL a charter school?

No, Southside EL is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Southside EL a Title I school?

No, Southside EL is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Southside EL?

84.8% of students at Southside EL qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
2nd – 3rd
Enrollment
460
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Anderson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
8.7%
Area population (ZIP 75801)
16,891
Area average commute
22.9 min
Area median age
35.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 75801; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2011-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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