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Gus Birdwell Elementary

Summary:

Gus Birdwell Elementary is a public elementary school in Spearman, Texas, serving 357 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Spearman Independent School District, which is ranked 175 out of 968 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Gus Birdwell Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, consistently outperforming the state average in STAAR Reading, Mathematics, and Science assessments. The school has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (65.55%) compared to the state average, and its White and male students have performed particularly well, ranking 901 out of 3,106 and 1,628 out of 4,585 Texas elementary schools, respectively. Despite having a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds (59.66%), the school has maintained its academic success, likely aided by the steady increase in spending per student over the years.

While Gus Birdwell Elementary is a high-performing school, it faces some challenges. Compared to the nearby Gruver Elementary, which has a similar racial composition, Gus Birdwell lags behind in some academic areas, such as 3rd-grade STAAR Reading proficiency. Additionally, the school has struggled with its special education and English language learner (ELL) student populations, ranking in the bottom quartile of Texas elementary schools for these subgroups. However, the school has shown steady improvement over time, moving up in the statewide rankings and maintaining a consistent 4-star rating in recent years.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 511 S Townsend St
       Spearman, TX  79081-4008

(806) 659-2565

District: Spearman Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
918th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,744 Help


Students who attend Gus Birdwell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Spearman J H
High:    Spearman High School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.9 Help
Number of students:  356

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
64.9%
White:
33.4%
Two or more races:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Gus Birdwell Elementary ranks better than 80.4% of elementary schools in Texas. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.63. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (64.9%), White (33.4%), two or more races (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 59.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gus Birdwell Elementary is 10.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Gus Birdwell Elementary employs 32.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gus Birdwell Elementary is $11,744.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gus Birdwell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Gus Birdwell Elementary 918th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Gus Birdwell 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:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Spearman Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Spearman Independent School District (Isd) 175th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Gus Birdwell Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 76.12 626th 3465 81.9%
2005 68.91 1062nd 3475 69.4%
2006 55.16 1773rd 3476 49.0%
2007 46.47 2389th 3724 35.8%
2008 23.27 3339th 3768 11.4%
2009 50.85 2201st 3884 43.3%
2010 43.66 2664th 3937 32.3%
2011 48.71 2486th 4095 39.3%
2012 29.16 3470th 4206 17.5%
2013 20.24 3789th 4221 10.2%
2014 30.52 3384th 4260 20.6%
2015 41.81 2759th 4320 36.1%
2016 54.49 2083rd 4286 51.4%
2017 56.32 1649th 4329 61.9%
2018 59.71 1503rd 4359 65.5%
2019 52.37 1904th 4479 57.5%
2021 77.89 815th 4578 82.2%
2022 62.25 1509th 4581 67.1%
2023 57.24 1744th 4647 62.5%
2024 75.63 918th 4675 80.4%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.74 2673rd 3226 17.1%
2019 29.06 2732nd 3333 18.0%
2021 60.24 978th 3446 71.6%
2022 39.23 2266th 3487 35.0%
2023 31.29 2712th 3556 23.7%
2024 57.55 1275th 3638 65.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.62 2437th 3799 35.9%
2022 72.48 605th 3952 84.7%
2023 33.10 2880th 4086 29.5%
2024 53.01 1694th 4261 60.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.28 2086th 4264 51.1%
2019 44.52 2457th 4309 43.0%
2021 73.91 679th 4451 84.7%
2022 57.31 1658th 4477 63.0%
2023 53.07 1970th 4521 56.4%
2024 76.52 611th 4560 86.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 94.60 1st 56 98.2%
2022 93.01 1st 49 98.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.27 1930th 4306 55.2%
2019 57.69 1623rd 4348 62.7%
2021 71.51 1005th 4499 77.7%
2022 58.98 1614th 4561 64.6%
2023 53.19 1968th 4588 57.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.56 2688th 4240 36.6%
2019 34.28 3106th 4295 27.7%
2021 71.99 648th 4331 85.0%
2022 51.35 2002nd 4461 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.67 1287th 4319 70.2%
2019 46.39 2228th 4357 48.9%
2021 81.56 639th 4498 85.8%
2022 63.25 1413th 4563 69.0%
2023 59.05 1628th 4585 64.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.29 2256th 4168 45.9%
2019 44.62 2339th 4188 44.1%
2021 73.51 743rd 4329 82.8%
2022 54.92 1764th 4376 59.7%
2023 49.09 2107th 4401 52.1%
2024 71.41 886th 4431 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Gus Birdwell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.19 709th 3127 77.3%
2019 56.28 1316th 3142 58.1%
2021 80.08 375th 3082 87.8%
2022 69.36 803rd 3082 73.9%
2023 67.38 901st 3106 71.0%
2024 75.22 559th 3078 81.8%
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.

Gus Birdwell Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Gus Birdwell Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 277 0 0 89 0 n/a n/a 0 366
1990 330 0 0 104 2 n/a n/a 0 436
1991 332 0 1 118 0 n/a n/a 0 451
1992 297 0 1 116 0 n/a n/a 0 414
1993 272 0 1 120 0 n/a n/a 0 393
1994 251 0 1 134 0 n/a n/a 0 386
1995 209 0 0 163 0 n/a n/a 0 372
1996 209 0 0 163 0 n/a n/a 0 372
1997 196 0 0 157 0 n/a n/a 0 353
1998 217 0 1 159 0 n/a n/a 0 377
1999 200 0 4 164 0 n/a n/a 0 368
2000 184 1 3 178 0 n/a n/a 0 366
2001 165 0 5 179 0 n/a n/a 0 349
2002 158 0 5 196 0 n/a n/a 0 359
2003 158 0 5 196 0 n/a n/a 0 359
2004 159 0 4 213 0 n/a n/a 0 376
2005 179 0 3 208 0 n/a n/a 0 390
2006 140 1 3 217 0 n/a n/a 0 361
2007 132 0 2 236 0 n/a n/a 0 370
2008 138 0 1 270 0 n/a n/a 0 409
2009 136 0 1 299 0 n/a n/a 0 436
2010 129 0 3 313 0 n/a n/a 0 445
2011 144 0 2 311 1 0 3 0 461
2012 128 0 1 293 1 0 2 0 425
2013 148 0 1 304 1 0 1 0 455
2014 134 0 1 312 1 0 1 0 449
2015 132 0 1 320 0 0 2 0 455
2016 128 0 2 304 0 0 1 0 435
2017 122 0 3 289 0 0 1 0 415
2018 132 0 3 285 0 0 2 0 422
2019 125 0 3 281 0 0 3 0 412
2020 137 0 3 263 0 0 3 0 406
2021 118 0 2 255 0 0 3 0 378
2022 127 0 0 241 0 0 4 0 372
2023 119 0 0 234 1 0 3 0 357
2024 119 0 0 231 1 0 5 0 356

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 Gus Birdwell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 366 n/a n/a n/a
1990 436 27.0 16.1 n/a
1991 451 26.6 16.9 n/a
1992 414 25.4 16.2 25.8
1993 393 25.0 15.7 37.2
1994 386 26.2 14.7 36.8
1995 372 24.1 15.4 36.3
1996 372 24.1 15.4 36.3
1997 353 25.6 13.8 43.9
1998 377 28.6 13.2 42.2
1999 368 28.7 12.8 56.8
2000 366 28.8 12.7 58.2
2001 349 28.8 12.1 57.6
2002 359 30.0 12.0 56.5
2003 359 30.0 12.0 56.5
2004 376 28.7 13.1 58.2
2005 390 30.5 12.8 57.7
2006 361 29.4 12.3 63.7
2007 370 29.3 12.6 64.3
2008 409 31.1 13.2 60.4
2009 436 33.4 13.0 59.9
2010 445 34.4 12.9 69.9
2011 461 34.7 13.2 66.2
2012 425 32.3 13.1 68.5
2013 455 35.6 12.7 60
2014 449 35.6 12.5 59.9
2015 455 36.0 12.6 60.2
2016 435 38.0 11.4 63
2017 415 37.4 11.0 63.4
2018 422 36.7 11.4 64.5
2019 412 35.9 11.4 64.6
2020 406 34.2 11.8 63.3
2021 378 33.2 11.3 61.1
2022 372 35.0 10.6 66.1
2023 357 35.3 10.0 59.7
2024 356 32.6 10.9 59.3

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 Gus Birdwell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 366 n/a n/a n/a
1990 436 27.0 16.1 n/a
1991 451 26.6 16.9 n/a
1992 414 25.4 16.2 25.8
1993 393 25.0 15.7 37.2
1994 386 26.2 14.7 36.8
1995 372 24.1 15.4 36.3
1996 372 24.1 15.4 36.3
1997 353 25.6 13.8 43.9
1998 377 28.6 13.2 42.2
1999 368 28.7 12.8 56.8
2000 366 28.8 12.7 58.2
2001 349 28.8 12.1 57.6
2002 359 30.0 12.0 56.5
2003 359 30.0 12.0 56.5
2004 376 28.7 13.1 58.2
2005 390 30.5 12.8 57.7
2006 361 29.4 12.3 63.7
2007 370 29.3 12.6 64.3
2008 409 31.1 13.2 60.4
2009 436 33.4 13.0 59.9
2010 445 34.4 12.9 69.9
2011 461 34.7 13.2 66.2
2012 425 32.3 13.1 68.5
2013 455 35.6 12.7 60
2014 449 35.6 12.5 59.9
2015 455 36.0 12.6 60.2
2016 435 38.0 11.4 63
2017 415 37.4 11.0 63.4
2018 422 36.7 11.4 64.5
2019 412 35.9 11.4 64.6
2020 406 34.2 11.8 63.3
2021 378 33.2 11.3 61.1
2022 372 35.0 10.6 66.1
2023 357 35.3 10.0 59.7
2024 356 32.6 10.9 59.3

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 Gus Birdwell Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,282 (12.7%) $8,797 (87.3%) $10,079
2020 $1,634 (15.3%) $9,015 (84.7%) $10,649
2021 $1,974 (16.8%) $9,770 (83.2%) $11,744

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Gus Birdwell 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 1904th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 1744th of 4647 Elementary schools
 5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Gus Birdwell Elementary)4659
 13%
   3rd Grade Reading (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))4659
 13%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gus Birdwell Elementary)5670
 14%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))5670
 14%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Gus Birdwell Elementary)3552
 17%
   4th Grade Reading (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))3552
 17%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gus Birdwell Elementary)4452
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))4452
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Gus Birdwell Elementary)4852
 4%
   5th Grade Reading (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))4852
 4%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gus Birdwell Elementary)6334
 29%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))6334
 29%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Gus Birdwell Elementary)5229
 23%
   5th Grade Science (Spearman Independent School District (Isd))5229
 23%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students412357
 13.3%
African American00
American Indian01
Asian30
 100%
Hispanic281234
 16.7%
Pacific Islander00
White125119
 4.8%
Two or More Races33
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients64.6%59.7%
 4.9%

Schools Near Gus Birdwell Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Gus Birdwell Elementary

Students who attend Gus Birdwell Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Spearman J H
High : Spearman High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 356 students attended Gus Birdwell Elementary.

Students at Gus Birdwell Elementary are 65% Hispanic, 33% White, 1% Two or more races.

Gus Birdwell Elementary ranks 918th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars 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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