Thornton Middle

Summary:

Thornton Middle is a public middle school located in Katy, Texas, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,397 students. The school is part of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD), which is ranked 363 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thornton Middle faces significant academic challenges, consistently underperforming compared to the CFISD district and the state of Texas in STAAR test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in STAAR Reading for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades was 47.86%, 41.09%, and 39.52%, respectively, compared to the CFISD district scores of 60.49%, 57.36%, and 60.34%. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as English Language Learners (ELL), Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) students. Additionally, Thornton Middle has experienced a higher dropout rate in recent years, ranging from 0.1% to 1.0%, compared to the surrounding schools in the CFISD district.

When comparing Thornton Middle to other middle schools in the CFISD district and the neighboring Katy Independent School District (KISD), it becomes evident that Thornton Middle is underperforming academically. For instance, Stockdick J.H. and Mayde Creek J.H. (both in KISD) consistently outperform Thornton Middle on STAAR tests, with higher proficiency rates across all subject areas. The high percentage of minority and low-income students at Thornton Middle, coupled with the school's lower academic performance, suggests that socioeconomic and demographic factors may be contributing to the challenges the school faces, and targeted interventions and support programs could be beneficial in addressing these disparities.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 19802 Kieth Harrow Blvd
       Katy, TX  77449-7004


(281) 856-1500

District: Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1687th of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,395 Help


Feeder schools for Thornton Middle:

Elementary:    Emery Elementary
    McFee Elementary
    Robinson Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.4 Help
Number of students:  1,414

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
57.6%
African American:
29.6%
White:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  83.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thornton Middle ranks worse than 71.5% of middle schools in Texas. It also ranks 17th among 19 ranked middle schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.35. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (57.6%), African American (29.6%), White (5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 83.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thornton Middle is 13.4, which is the 3rd best among 19 middle schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Thornton Middle employs 105.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thornton Middle is $9,395, which is the 9th highest among 19 middle schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd).
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thornton Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Thornton Middle 1687th of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Thornton Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd) 363rd of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Thornton Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 54.49 798th 1573 49.3%
2005 46.97 949th 1582 40.0%
2006 37.38 1127th 1585 28.9%
2007 28.08 1389th 1684 17.5%
2008 46.47 1081st 1718 37.1%
2009 45.01 1159th 1763 34.3%
2010 54.91 914th 1803 49.3%
2011 50.78 1118th 1895 41.0%
2012 48.21 1085th 1951 44.4%
2013 49.81 1064th 1973 46.1%
2014 51.80 1008th 1987 49.3%
2015 48.38 1138th 2043 44.3%
2016 44.79 1182nd 1987 40.5%
2017 43.19 1093rd 2027 46.1%
2018 47.98 1013th 2080 51.3%
2019 43.09 1202nd 2193 45.2%
2021 44.85 1163rd 2252 48.4%
2022 43.50 1209th 2254 46.4%
2023 39.96 1394th 2330 40.2%
2024 31.35 1687th 2361 28.5%
See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.83 349th 720 51.5%
2019 63.31 234th 753 68.9%
2021 31.90 535th 743 28.0%
2022 27.44 650th 813 20.0%
2023 36.44 550th 817 32.7%
2024 41.74 462nd 812 43.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.30 980th 1376 28.8%
2019 30.35 1104th 1445 23.6%
2021 31.16 1201st 1592 24.6%
2022 30.40 1254th 1643 23.7%
2023 31.30 1257th 1720 26.9%
2024 26.70 1423rd 1760 19.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.57 609th 1597 61.9%
2019 47.20 677th 1626 58.4%
2021 51.96 567th 1712 66.9%
2022 47.26 734th 1757 58.2%
2023 39.70 1023rd 1815 43.6%
2024 49.65 829th 1881 55.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.42 617th 2039 69.7%
2019 54.06 790th 2073 61.9%
2021 56.50 756th 2172 65.2%
2022 52.04 915th 2220 58.8%
2023 53.99 885th 2251 60.7%
2024 40.26 1308th 2224 41.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.41 920th 2008 54.2%
2019 47.72 1026th 2047 49.9%
2021 48.40 1046th 2151 51.4%
2022 45.52 1136th 2221 48.9%
2023 44.71 1212th 2241 45.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.64 254th 1430 82.2%
2019 56.07 778th 1446 46.2%
2021 68.12 511th 1501 66.0%
2022 61.23 649th 1488 56.4%
2023 64.87 582nd 1481 60.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.55 1053rd 2008 47.6%
2019 45.18 1027th 2058 50.1%
2021 60.57 550th 2118 74.0%
2022 57.10 674th 2182 69.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.30 1063rd 2030 47.6%
2019 37.97 1291st 2069 37.6%
2021 40.54 1235th 2168 43.0%
2022 40.24 1304th 2228 41.5%
2023 35.73 1461st 2245 34.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.46 323rd 587 45.0%
2019 38.25 426th 594 28.3%
2021 50.34 317th 589 46.2%
2022 48.35 353rd 606 41.7%
2023 37.21 452nd 616 26.6%
2024 39.47 435th 612 28.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.89 495th 1167 57.6%
2019 51.18 480th 1193 59.8%
2021 52.81 445th 1213 63.3%
2022 51.73 486th 1251 61.2%
2023 50.25 541st 1273 57.5%
2024 43.77 640th 1271 49.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.17 664th 1895 65.0%
2019 50.39 863rd 1935 55.4%
2021 54.55 747th 2043 63.4%
2022 49.03 952nd 2077 54.2%
2023 46.82 1052nd 2116 50.3%
2024 36.56 1367th 2108 35.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.61 31st 41 24.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Thornton Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.79 849th 1673 49.3%
2019 40.70 1042nd 1684 38.1%
2021 41.45 1033rd 1700 39.2%
2022 54.04 747th 1723 56.6%
2023 37.82 1181st 1749 32.5%
2024 21.46 1497th 1724 13.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle 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.

Thornton Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Open Quote This school is exceptional; the staff is dedicated to student success. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Thornton Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 535 80 54 172 1 n/a n/a 0 842
1995 599 112 54 239 4 n/a n/a 0 1008
1996 599 112 54 239 4 n/a n/a 0 1008
1997 654 121 53 262 4 n/a n/a 0 1094
1998 799 152 59 274 4 n/a n/a 0 1288
1999 879 177 77 308 4 n/a n/a 0 1445
2000 892 202 73 354 2 n/a n/a 0 1523
2001 894 222 83 407 2 n/a n/a 0 1608
2002 515 246 64 425 1 n/a n/a 0 1251
2003 515 246 64 425 1 n/a n/a 0 1251
2004 582 303 72 575 1 n/a n/a 0 1533
2005 554 356 96 759 2 n/a n/a 0 1767
2006 410 396 72 762 0 n/a n/a 0 1640
2007 304 506 67 858 0 n/a n/a 0 1735
2008 230 313 40 682 2 n/a n/a 0 1267
2009 229 397 48 741 2 n/a n/a 0 1417
2010 165 315 37 678 5 n/a n/a 0 1200
2011 145 338 30 746 2 1 34 0 1296
2012 131 357 33 763 0 2 31 0 1317
2013 108 360 29 765 1 1 28 0 1292
2014 115 402 39 745 2 2 24 0 1329
2015 128 390 46 803 3 1 20 0 1391
2016 132 426 60 842 9 0 18 0 1487
2017 133 434 56 853 13 3 21 0 1513
2018 153 488 69 896 18 4 25 0 1653
2019 142 585 64 1001 20 5 28 0 1845
2020 130 604 74 1077 20 2 23 0 1930
2021 93 503 67 854 13 3 28 0 1561
2022 87 481 70 841 12 5 39 0 1535
2023 66 420 70 797 12 4 28 0 1397
2024 71 419 63 815 10 3 33 0 1414

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 Thornton Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 842 54.8 15.4 11.8
1995 1008 63.4 15.9 14
1996 1008 63.4 15.9 14
1997 1094 69.0 15.9 16.8
1998 1288 86.2 14.9 15.2
1999 1445 88.0 16.4 20.3
2000 1523 97.6 15.6 19.3
2001 1608 106.1 15.2 20.8
2002 1251 87.1 14.4 32.9
2003 1251 87.1 14.4 32.9
2004 1533 97.0 15.8 37.1
2005 1767 116.0 15.2 41
2006 1640 104.2 15.7 48.5
2007 1735 110.7 15.7 58.5
2008 1267 97.5 13.0 56.9
2009 1417 92.1 15.4 67.7
2010 1200 84.9 14.1 67.7
2011 1296 82.9 15.6 69.9
2012 1317 84.6 15.5 72.2
2013 1292 85.0 15.2 72.9
2014 1329 89.1 14.9 73.4
2015 1391 92.0 15.1 72.8
2016 1487 95.0 15.6 71.4
2017 1513 98.5 15.3 72.6
2018 1653 105.0 15.7 70.7
2019 1845 114.9 16.0 76.4
2020 1930 118.0 16.3 76.5
2021 1561 101.5 15.3 75.7
2022 1535 100.7 15.2 79.5
2023 1397 106.3 13.1 80
2024 1414 105.1 13.4 83.2

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 Thornton Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 842 54.8 15.4 11.8
1995 1008 63.4 15.9 14
1996 1008 63.4 15.9 14
1997 1094 69.0 15.9 16.8
1998 1288 86.2 14.9 15.2
1999 1445 88.0 16.4 20.3
2000 1523 97.6 15.6 19.3
2001 1608 106.1 15.2 20.8
2002 1251 87.1 14.4 32.9
2003 1251 87.1 14.4 32.9
2004 1533 97.0 15.8 37.1
2005 1767 116.0 15.2 41
2006 1640 104.2 15.7 48.5
2007 1735 110.7 15.7 58.5
2008 1267 97.5 13.0 56.9
2009 1417 92.1 15.4 67.7
2010 1200 84.9 14.1 67.7
2011 1296 82.9 15.6 69.9
2012 1317 84.6 15.5 72.2
2013 1292 85.0 15.2 72.9
2014 1329 89.1 14.9 73.4
2015 1391 92.0 15.1 72.8
2016 1487 95.0 15.6 71.4
2017 1513 98.5 15.3 72.6
2018 1653 105.0 15.7 70.7
2019 1845 114.9 16.0 76.4
2020 1930 118.0 16.3 76.5
2021 1561 101.5 15.3 75.7
2022 1535 100.7 15.2 79.5
2023 1397 106.3 13.1 80
2024 1414 105.1 13.4 83.2

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 Thornton Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,094 (13.5%) $7,028 (86.5%) $8,121
2020 $1,000 (12.3%) $7,146 (87.7%) $8,146
2021 $1,553 (16.5%) $7,842 (83.5%) $9,395

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thornton Middle

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 1202nd of 2193 Middle schoolsRanks 1394th of 2330 Middle schools
 5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Thornton Middle)3546
 11%
   6th Grade Reading (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))4359
 16%
   6th Grade Reading (Texas)3550
 15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Thornton Middle)3927
 12%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))5347
 6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4537
 8%
7th Grade Reading (Thornton Middle)4648
 2%
   7th Grade Reading (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))5759
 2%
   7th Grade Reading (Texas)4752
 5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Thornton Middle)3629
 7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))5446
 8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4135
 6%
8th Grade Reading (Thornton Middle)4749
 2%
   8th Grade Reading (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))6264
 2%
   8th Grade Reading (Texas)5356
 3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Thornton Middle)4525
 20%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))5536
 19%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5544
 11%
8th Grade Science (Thornton Middle)4636
 10%
   8th Grade Science (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))6258
 4%
   8th Grade Science (Texas)4945
 4%
8th Grade Social Studies (Thornton Middle)2631
 5%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))4843
 5%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Texas)3531
 4%
End of Course Algebra I (Thornton Middle)9688
 8%
   End of Course Algebra I (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Isd))7663
 13%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18451397
 24.3%
African American585420
 28.2%
American Indian2012
 40%
Asian6470
 9.4%
Hispanic1001797
 20.4%
Pacific Islander54
 20%
White14266
 53.5%
Two or More Races2828
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.4%80%
 3.7%


Schools Near Thornton Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Thornton Middle

Students at Thornton Middle are 58% Hispanic, 30% African American, 5% White, 4% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,414 students attended Thornton Middle.

Thornton Middle ranks 1687th of 2361 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.


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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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