Purcell Elementary

Summary:

Purcell Elementary is a public elementary school in Abilene, Texas, serving 635 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school has a predominantly Hispanic student population (59.53%) and a high percentage of students from low-income families (84.41% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch).

Purcell Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Texas elementary schools, with significantly below-average performance on STAAR tests across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 38.24% of 3rd-grade students at Purcell Elementary were proficient or better in STAAR reading, compared to 48.85% statewide and 40.22% in the Abilene Independent School District. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as English Language Learners, Hispanic students, and students with low socioeconomic status.

In comparison, the nearby schools in the Abilene ISD, such as Thomas Elementary, Alcorta Elementary, and Stafford Elementary, generally perform better than Purcell Elementary on STAAR tests and have higher rankings from SchoolDigger. These schools have a more diverse student population and lower percentages of students from low-income backgrounds, which may contribute to their stronger academic performance.


Detail:

Public K-5

 3633 N 14th St
       Abilene, TX  79603-4534


(325) 671-4845

District: Abilene Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4028th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,043 Help


Students who attend Purcell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Craig Middle
High:    Abilene High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.2 Help
Number of students:  594

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
60.4%
White:
21.5%
African American:
14.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Purcell Elementary ranks worse than 86.2% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 12th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.23. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Purcell Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (60.4%), White (21.5%), African American (14.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 84% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Purcell Elementary is 16.2. 10 elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Purcell Elementary employs 36.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Purcell Elementary is $9,043. 12 elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Purcell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Purcell Elementary 4028th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Purcell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Abilene Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Abilene Independent School District (Isd) 676th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Purcell Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 77.93 517th 3465 85.1%
2005 73.80 762nd 3475 78.1%
2006 63.23 1359th 3476 60.9%
2007 70.90 1012th 3724 72.8%
2008 65.77 1308th 3768 65.3%
2009 63.27 1529th 3884 60.6%
2010 56.29 2000th 3937 49.2%
2011 48.43 2502nd 4095 38.9%
2012 52.92 2101st 4206 50.0%
2013 52.57 2153rd 4221 49.0%
2014 59.06 1818th 4260 57.3%
2015 47.01 2489th 4320 42.4%
2016 57.73 1906th 4286 55.5%
2017 30.01 3149th 4329 27.3%
2018 21.43 3721st 4359 14.6%
2019 24.01 3688th 4479 17.7%
2021 27.07 3375th 4578 26.3%
2022 14.11 4240th 4581 7.4%
2023 22.11 3877th 4647 16.6%
2024 20.23 4028th 4675 13.8%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.53 817th 1046 21.9%
2019 37.65 753rd 1112 32.3%
2021 18.27 851st 961 11.4%
2023 9.40 1063rd 1099 3.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 13.80 3389th 3446 1.7%
2022 3.87 3485th 3487 0.1%
2023 4.85 3551st 3556 0.1%
2024 22.21 3164th 3638 13.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.32 1042nd 3558 70.7%
2019 53.38 1235th 3684 66.5%
2021 39.86 2058th 3799 45.8%
2022 41.15 2189th 3952 44.6%
2023 44.76 1970th 4086 51.8%
2024 50.02 1892nd 4261 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.96 3389th 4264 20.5%
2019 30.39 3433rd 4309 20.3%
2021 34.19 3097th 4451 30.4%
2022 15.62 4214th 4477 5.9%
2023 25.17 3815th 4521 15.6%
2024 27.04 3743rd 4560 17.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.81 3731st 4306 13.4%
2019 17.35 3989th 4348 8.3%
2021 24.21 3583rd 4499 20.4%
2022 14.23 4269th 4561 6.4%
2023 19.11 4075th 4588 11.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.72 1707th 3106 45.0%
2019 37.59 2470th 3184 22.4%
2021 64.32 1222nd 3006 59.3%
2022 28.69 2514th 2958 15.0%
2023 43.92 2140th 2980 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.57 3398th 4240 19.9%
2019 29.58 3430th 4295 20.1%
2021 30.16 3355th 4331 22.5%
2022 13.57 4322nd 4461 3.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.04 3654th 4319 15.4%
2019 32.95 3143rd 4357 27.9%
2021 33.00 2973rd 4498 33.9%
2022 17.23 4126th 4563 9.6%
2023 28.67 3498th 4585 23.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.21 1164th 2483 53.1%
2019 31.93 1881st 2515 25.2%
2021 26.16 2020th 2444 17.3%
2022 19.09 2225th 2421 8.1%
2023 24.53 2074th 2443 15.1%
2024 39.66 1499th 2421 38.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.42 3823rd 4168 8.3%
2019 21.21 3776th 4188 9.8%
2021 27.67 3393rd 4329 21.6%
2022 13.43 4199th 4376 4.0%
2023 22.61 3825th 4401 13.1%
2024 20.78 3925th 4431 11.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Purcell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.34 2671st 3127 14.6%
2019 30.85 2410th 3142 23.3%
2021 28.34 2416th 3082 21.6%
2022 30.39 2402nd 3082 22.1%
2023 35.16 2186th 3106 29.6%
2024 36.28 2136th 3078 30.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Purcell Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Purcell Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 427 26 2 71 1 n/a n/a 0 527
1989 407 36 4 72 1 n/a n/a 0 520
1990 413 30 3 71 0 n/a n/a 0 517
1991 385 40 2 85 0 n/a n/a 0 512
1992 398 42 3 110 0 n/a n/a 0 553
1993 327 38 5 93 0 n/a n/a 0 463
1994 324 48 5 94 0 n/a n/a 0 471
1995 275 43 3 87 1 n/a n/a 0 409
1996 275 43 3 87 1 n/a n/a 0 409
1997 279 40 2 102 1 n/a n/a 0 424
1998 259 41 2 106 1 n/a n/a 0 409
1999 247 39 1 111 0 n/a n/a 0 398
2000 207 58 2 114 0 n/a n/a 0 381
2001 219 61 3 110 3 n/a n/a 0 396
2002 180 65 2 134 4 n/a n/a 0 385
2003 180 65 2 134 4 n/a n/a 0 385
2004 230 77 5 186 5 n/a n/a 0 503
2005 227 84 5 206 2 n/a n/a 0 524
2006 208 81 0 208 5 n/a n/a 0 502
2007 209 95 1 192 3 n/a n/a 0 500
2008 199 89 5 229 5 n/a n/a 0 527
2009 212 81 3 238 5 n/a n/a 0 539
2010 191 92 5 304 6 n/a n/a 0 598
2011 197 69 2 295 2 0 32 0 597
2012 192 63 1 305 1 0 32 0 594
2013 183 47 0 284 1 0 33 0 548
2014 177 49 3 302 1 0 32 0 564
2015 183 55 0 261 1 0 31 0 531
2016 161 44 0 264 1 0 22 0 492
2017 220 65 1 365 0 0 26 0 677
2018 195 76 0 348 0 2 29 0 650
2019 186 78 1 360 0 2 28 0 655
2020 207 77 1 383 1 2 27 0 698
2021 168 79 2 388 1 1 21 0 660
2022 150 77 1 381 1 1 27 0 638
2023 142 85 0 378 1 2 27 0 635
2024 128 86 0 359 2 0 19 0 594

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Purcell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 527 29.0 18.1 n/a
1989 520 n/a n/a n/a
1990 517 28.0 18.4 n/a
1991 512 28.4 18.0 n/a
1992 553 30.5 18.1 28.6
1993 463 29.0 16.0 38.4
1994 471 28.2 16.7 13.2
1995 409 26.0 15.7 30.1
1996 409 26.0 15.7 30.1
1997 424 28.3 15.0 33.7
1998 409 27.1 15.1 37.2
1999 398 26.9 14.8 47.2
2000 381 27.0 14.1 50.1
2001 396 29.1 13.6 51.3
2002 385 30.0 12.8 51.9
2003 385 30.0 12.8 51.9
2004 503 32.8 15.3 61.8
2005 524 31.8 16.5 63.2
2006 502 33.7 14.9 63.7
2007 500 32.8 15.2 66.2
2008 527 32.6 16.2 67.2
2009 539 34.3 15.7 71.1
2010 598 36.1 16.5 74.6
2011 597 37.2 16.0 70
2012 594 32.1 18.4 70.5
2013 548 29.1 18.7 72.6
2014 564 30.6 18.4 71.6
2015 531 32.0 16.5 67
2016 492 28.0 17.5 74.8
2017 677 39.1 17.2 83
2018 650 38.4 16.8 86
2019 655 38.3 17.0 81.5
2020 698 39.7 17.5 78.2
2021 660 42.6 15.4 80.3
2022 638 41.9 15.2 75.5
2023 635 39.7 15.9 84.4
2024 594 36.6 16.2 84

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Purcell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 527 29.0 18.1 n/a
1989 520 n/a n/a n/a
1990 517 28.0 18.4 n/a
1991 512 28.4 18.0 n/a
1992 553 30.5 18.1 28.6
1993 463 29.0 16.0 38.4
1994 471 28.2 16.7 13.2
1995 409 26.0 15.7 30.1
1996 409 26.0 15.7 30.1
1997 424 28.3 15.0 33.7
1998 409 27.1 15.1 37.2
1999 398 26.9 14.8 47.2
2000 381 27.0 14.1 50.1
2001 396 29.1 13.6 51.3
2002 385 30.0 12.8 51.9
2003 385 30.0 12.8 51.9
2004 503 32.8 15.3 61.8
2005 524 31.8 16.5 63.2
2006 502 33.7 14.9 63.7
2007 500 32.8 15.2 66.2
2008 527 32.6 16.2 67.2
2009 539 34.3 15.7 71.1
2010 598 36.1 16.5 74.6
2011 597 37.2 16.0 70
2012 594 32.1 18.4 70.5
2013 548 29.1 18.7 72.6
2014 564 30.6 18.4 71.6
2015 531 32.0 16.5 67
2016 492 28.0 17.5 74.8
2017 677 39.1 17.2 83
2018 650 38.4 16.8 86
2019 655 38.3 17.0 81.5
2020 698 39.7 17.5 78.2
2021 660 42.6 15.4 80.3
2022 638 41.9 15.2 75.5
2023 635 39.7 15.9 84.4
2024 594 36.6 16.2 84

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Purcell Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,301 (16.6%) $6,540 (83.4%) $7,841
2020 $1,263 (15.7%) $6,805 (84.4%) $8,067
2021 $1,898 (21.0%) $7,144 (79.0%) $9,043

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Purcell Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 3688th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 3877th of 4647 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Purcell Elementary)3147
 16%
   3rd Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3542
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Purcell Elementary)3834
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3735
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Purcell Elementary)2531
 6%
   4th Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3838
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Purcell Elementary)3122
 9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3534
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Purcell Elementary)3534
 1%
   5th Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))4147
 6%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Purcell Elementary)3827
 11%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))4337
 6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Purcell Elementary)3213
 19%
   5th Grade Science (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3723
 14%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students655635
 3.1%
African American7885
 9%
American Indian01
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic360378
 5%
Pacific Islander22
White186142
 23.7%
Two or More Races2827
 3.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients81.5%84.4%
 2.9%


Schools Near Purcell Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Purcell Elementary

Purcell Elementary ranks in the bottom 13.8% of Texas elementary schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 594 students attended Purcell Elementary.

Students who attend Purcell Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Craig Middle
High : Abilene High School

Students at Purcell Elementary are 60% Hispanic, 22% White, 14% African American, 3% Two or more races.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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