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Honest take: what's the hardest part about being a student at SOUTH ATHENS EL?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
457
Elementary
DISTRICT 497 · STATE 519
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·ATHENS ISD·NCES 480887000281
South Athens Elementary School
718 ROBBINS RD, ATHENS, TX 75751 · (903) 677-6970 · Henderson County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY32-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL457 STUDENTS
B
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 56% of Texas public elementary schools
- BTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- B+Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- C-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Texas public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
17.2:1
27 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.7:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
79%
360 students
DISTRICT 77% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 69 | 15% |
| Kindergarten | 66 | 14% |
| Grade 1 | 67 | 15% |
| Grade 2 | 64 | 14% |
| Grade 3 | 59 | 13% |
| Grade 4 | 68 | 15% |
| Grade 5 | 64 | 14% |
This year's kindergarten class (66) is about the same size as its 5th grade class (64).
Student demographics
58%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 63% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Based on grade levels within ATHENS ISD. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
44.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +15.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
38.0%
TX avg 45.3% . -2.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 44 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 38 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 15 points since 2020, while math scores are down about 2 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 21.0% | 23.0% | 27.0% | 29.0% |
| Mathematics | 20.0% | 18.0% | 22.0% | 40.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 44.0% | 38.0% |
| 2024-25 | 53.0% | 36.0% |
| 2023-24 | 54.0% | 53.0% |
| 2022-23 | 47.0% | 45.0% |
| 2021-22 | 60.0% | 52.0% |
| 2020-21 | 29.0% | 40.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
45.2%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
40.0%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+5.2pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 45% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 40% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like South Athens Elementary School
South Athens Elementary School's state test result (45.2% proficient) is higher than 3 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Athens Elementary School this school | 457 | 78.8% | 45.2% |
| Northside Elementary School EL CAMPO | 471 | 77.3% | 43.9% |
| Bel Air Elementary School ATHENS | 465 | 81.9% | 46.1% |
| E C Brice Elementary School MOUNT PLEASANT | 485 | 76.1% | 53.1% |
| Bonham Elementary School ABILENE | 481 | 77.8% | 34.1% |
| Waters Elementary School LUBBOCK | 464 | 73.3% | 43.0% |
Matched among Texas elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where South Athens Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Henderson County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 45.2% | #1,936 of 4,401 | #7 of 13 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 38.0% | #3,060 of 4,466 ▲ 50 | #10 of 13 ▲ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 44.0% | #3,213 of 4,466 ▼ 1,113 | #10 of 13 ▼ 3 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -5.0pp | #652 of 3,998 | #3 of 11 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 457 | #2,934 of 4,938 | #5 of 14 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.2:1 | #3,955 of 4,622 | #12 of 12 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.1% | #1,600 of 4,628 | #4 of 12 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 78.8% | #2,042 of 4,789 | #3 of 14 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -5.4% | #2,435 of 2,838 | #7 of 7 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
457
+14 (+3%) vs 2020
-23% since 1990-91, when it was 590
Student : Teacher
17.2:1
was 15.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 457 | 26.6 | 17.2:1 | 79% (360) |
| 2023-24 | 460 | 31.7 | 14.5:1 | 82% (377) |
| 2022-23 | 449 | 30 | 14.9:1 | 83% (372) |
| 2020-21 | 443 | 28 | 15.8:1 | 87% (384) |
| 2017-18 | 483 | 32.6 | 14.8:1 | 82% (397) |
| 2015-16 | 472 | 34 | 13.9:1 | 80% (377) |
| 2010-11 | 617 | 39 | 15.8:1 | 77% (477) |
| 2000-01 | 467 | 36 | 13.0:1 | 52% (244) |
| 1990-91 | 590 | 35 | 16.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for South Athens Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students down 5% (483 to 457); teachers down 18% (32.6 to 26.6).
About South Athens Elementary School
South Athens Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in ATHENS, Texas, administered by ATHENS ISD. The school counted 457 students in 2024-25, covering pre-K through 5.
South Athens Elementary School is in ATHENS ISD, a district with 3,029 students across 5 schools.
The largest group at South Athens Elementary School is Hispanic students, at 58%. Other groups include 26% White, 10% Black, and 5% multiracial. By comparison, Henderson County residents are about 15% Hispanic. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, South Athens Elementary School scores 58%.
The school's 26.6 full-time-equivalent teachers translate to a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.2:1. Elementary schools in Texas average 15.1:1, 2.1 fewer students per teacher than here. Income data for the school show 79% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. On average, public schools in Henderson County report 66%.
South Athens Elementary School holds a B allk12 Grade, placing it above 56% of Texas public elementary schools.
The school's average proficiency rate across its state test results is 45.2%. For its free or reduced-price lunch share, the predicted value is 40.0%.
In Henderson County, the median household earns about $65,179 a year, about 21% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and the poverty rate is about 11%. Across Henderson County, 32 public schools serve about 11,150 students.
Straight-line distance to the nearest public school, Athens High School, is about 0.5 miles. There are 4 other public schools within five miles. Among the 9 closest schools with test data, this one included, South Athens Elementary School ranks 5th on average proficiency.
In the federal locale system, South Athens Elementary School is coded Town: Distant, for schools in a town some distance from an urbanized area.
Over 4 years, enrollment increased by 14 students, from 443 to 457. There were more students per teacher in 2024-25 (17.2:1) than in 2020-21 (15.8:1).
You can use this page to share news and ask questions about open houses, carpools, and field trips. You can also rate the school on this page.
Henderson County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
84,862
Census ACS
Median income
$65,179
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
21%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
32
11,150 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in ATHENS ISD
- Athens High SchoolHigh · 879 students
- Athens Middle SchoolMiddle · 660 students
- Central AthensElementary · 568 students
- Bel Air Elementary SchoolElementary · 465 students
Other schools in ATHENS
- Athens High SchoolHigh · 879 students
- Athens Middle SchoolMiddle · 660 students
- Central AthensElementary · 568 students
- Bel Air Elementary SchoolElementary · 465 students
Nearby schools
- Athens High School0.5 mi · 879
- Central Athens0.5 mi · 568
- Bel Air Elementary School1.1 mi · 465
- Athens Middle School2.5 mi · 660
- Murchison Elementary School8.3 mi · 169
- Malakoff Intermediate School9.4 mi · 222
Frequently asked questions
About South Athens Elementary SchoolHow large is South Athens Elementary School?
South Athens Elementary School enrolls approximately 457 students in grades PK-05.
What age range does South Athens Elementary School serve?
South Athens Elementary School serves students from grade PK through grade 05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Athens Elementary School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at South Athens Elementary School is approximately 17.2:1 (27 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at South Athens Elementary School?
At South Athens Elementary School, the student body is approximately 26% White, 58% Hispanic, 10% Black, 0% Asian, 5% Two or more.
Is South Athens Elementary School public or private?
South Athens Elementary School is a public K-12 school, overseen by ATHENS ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.