Is Palmer High School a good school?

Palmer High School ranks 386 th of 1987 Texas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Palmer High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 370 students attended Palmer High School.

What is the racial makeup of Palmer High School?

Students at Palmer High School are 48% White, 47% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Palmer High School?

Palmer High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Palmer Elementary Middle : Palmer Middle

Palmer High School

Summary:

Palmer High School is a public high school located in Palmer, Texas, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 370 students. The school is part of the Palmer Independent School District, which is ranked 130 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palmer High School consistently performs well academically, often outperforming the state and district averages on STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) exams. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 71.84% proficiency in Biology, 81.37% in English II Reading, and 77.42% in U.S. History, all of which are significantly higher than the state averages. The school also maintains an impressive four-year graduation rate, ranging from 94.7% to 98.6% over the past five years, and has consistently low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 0.6%. Additionally, Palmer High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.7 to 12.8 over the past three years, which is lower than the nearby schools like Red Oak High School and Ennis High School.

While Palmer High School has a relatively balanced racial makeup, with White and Hispanic students each making up around 47% of the student population, the school has a lower percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (44.59%) compared to nearby schools like Ferris High School (76.25%) and Red Oak High School (54.54%), indicating a relatively higher socioeconomic status of the student population. However, the school's performance in the Gifted and Talented program has been mixed, with the school ranking in the top 18% of Texas high schools in 2020-2021, but dropping to the bottom 40% in 2021-2022, suggesting a potential area for improvement. Overall, Palmer High School is a strong-performing school, but it could potentially focus on enhancing its Gifted and Talented program to further improve its academic offerings.

Detail:

Public 9-12

422 W Jefferson
Palmer, TX 75152-9525

(972) 449-3487

District: Palmer Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
386^th of 1,987 Texas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,010

Feeder schools for Palmer High School:

Elementary:	Palmer Elementary
Middle:	Palmer Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 370

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.8%

Hispanic:

47.3%

African American:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.6%

See top rated Texas high schools

Compare Palmer High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palmer High School ranks better than 80.6% of high schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.52. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Palmer High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (47.8%), Hispanic (47.3%), African American (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmer High School is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Palmer High School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmer High School is $13,010.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Palmer High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer High School 386^th of 1987 Texas public high schools. (See Palmer High School in the ranking list.)

Palmer Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer Independent School District (Isd) 130^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Palmer High School

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Rank History for all students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2004	53.38	820^th	1427	42.5%
2005	47.78	925^th	1429	35.3%
2006	50.42	880^th	1430	38.5%
2007	69.07	450^th	1497	69.9%
2008	56.54	786^th	1510	47.9%
2009	67.61	466^th	1539	69.7%
2010	69.30	394^th	1568	74.9%
2011	75.41	211^th	1672	87.4%
2012	70.93	254^th	1603	84.2%
2013	77.07	190^th	1652	88.5%
2014	77.74	188^th	1734	89.2%
2015	77.12	187^th	1743	89.3%
2016	61.70	638^th	1762	63.8%
2017	65.56	443^rd	1777	75.1%
2018	61.67	530^th	1797	70.5%
2019	68.85	405^th	1857	78.2%
2021	72.65	360^th	1861	80.7%
2022	65.54	478^th	1876	74.5%
2023	69.36	442^nd	1961	77.5%
2024	71.52	386^th	1987	80.6%

See the entire list of Texas High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	82.25	77^th	664	88.4%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	30.91	779^th	1113	30.0%
2019	42.46	511^th	1136	55.0%
2021	77.36	114^th	1195	90.5%
2022	56.90	327^th	1278	74.4%
2023	69.31	231^st	1371	83.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	81.16	133^rd	1347	90.1%
2019	93.49	42^nd	1357	96.9%
2021	98.43	23^rd	1382	98.3%
2022	79.22	140^th	1418	90.1%
2023	89.81	73^rd	1478	95.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	55.73	608^th	1794	66.1%
2019	69.92	317^th	1818	82.6%
2021	68.57	356^th	1848	80.7%
2022	56.42	582^nd	1847	68.5%
2023	62.18	492^nd	1897	74.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	68.94	399^th	1781	77.6%
2019	66.87	474^th	1798	73.6%
2021	77.68	253^rd	1815	86.1%
2022	63.25	522^nd	1841	71.6%
2023	69.04	424^th	1891	77.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	72.83	47^th	1137	95.9%
2019	70.63	248^th	1145	78.3%
2021	75.77	57^th	1177	95.2%
2022	54.92	705^th	1172	39.8%
2023	72.00	212^th	1182	82.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	50.37	655^th	1784	63.3%
2019	69.35	310^th	1810	82.9%
2021	69.95	293^rd	1829	84.0%
2022	49.30	690^th	1837	62.4%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	56.78	630^th	1803	65.1%
2019	68.28	393^rd	1824	78.5%
2021	64.57	519^th	1840	71.8%
2022	63.65	494^th	1853	73.3%
2023	66.70	482^nd	1913	74.8%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	47.00	811^th	1691	52.0%
2019	61.85	482^nd	1714	71.9%
2021	73.69	270^th	1743	84.5%
2022	57.93	556^th	1762	68.4%
2023	62.92	489^th	1820	73.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Palmer High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	62.71	456^th	1539	70.4%
2019	68.25	373^rd	1526	75.6%
2021	61.13	478^th	1510	68.3%
2022	61.27	469^th	1525	69.2%
2023	66.24	409^th	1576	74.0%

See the entire list of Best Texas High 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.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Palmer High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	145	3	0	14	1	n/a	n/a	163
1990	147	2	0	25	2	n/a	n/a	176
1991	201	1	1	39	1	n/a	n/a	243
1992	235	2	1	45	0	n/a	n/a	283
1993	240	3	1	45	0	n/a	n/a	289
1994	230	3	1	46	1	n/a	n/a	281
1995	227	2	0	46	2	n/a	n/a	277
1996	227	2	0	46	2	n/a	n/a	277
1997	181	5	0	48	2	n/a	n/a	236
1998	191	7	0	58	2	n/a	n/a	258
1999	196	6	0	68	0	n/a	n/a	270
2000	190	5	1	71	0	n/a	n/a	267
2001	197	6	1	65	1	n/a	n/a	270
2002	216	4	1	70	0	n/a	n/a	291
2003	216	4	1	70	0	n/a	n/a	291
2004	233	4	0	92	2	n/a	n/a	331
2005	245	5	0	95	4	n/a	n/a	349
2006	240	3	2	82	4	n/a	n/a	331
2007	252	5	2	81	5	n/a	n/a	345
2008	252	4	1	70	3	n/a	n/a	330
2009	239	8	4	71	2	n/a	n/a	324
2010	228	4	4	96	1	n/a	n/a	333
2011	232	5	1	86	0	0	1	325
2012	226	3	2	83	0	0	0	314
2013	209	4	1	91	0	0	1	306
2014	205	5	1	101	1	0	0	313
2015	191	4	1	116	2	0	2	316
2016	196	5	1	122	1	0	3	328
2017	177	3	1	125	0	0	3	309
2018	175	4	1	127	1	0	6	314
2019	166	3	2	142	1	0	7	321
2020	156	5	2	156	0	1	6	326
2021	173	10	1	159	0	0	6	349
2022	155	8	1	168	1	0	8	341
2023	177	8	1	175	1	0	8	370

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 Palmer High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	163	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	176	13.0	13.5	n/a
1991	243	12.9	18.8	n/a
1992	283	15.9	17.7	17
1993	289	18.0	16.1	20.8
1994	281	19.1	14.7	16.4
1995	277	19.4	14.3	16.2
1996	277	19.4	14.3	16.2
1997	236	16.9	14.0	20.3
1998	258	18.2	14.2	20.5
1999	270	19.5	13.8	29.6
2000	267	20.8	12.8	22.8
2001	270	20.0	13.5	21.9
2002	291	24.5	11.9	22.3
2003	291	24.5	11.9	22.3
2004	331	28.1	11.8	18.4
2005	349	29.2	12.0	28.4
2006	331	28.5	11.6	29.3
2007	345	29.0	11.9	28.7
2008	330	29.8	11.1	28.8
2009	324	26.1	12.4	27.8
2010	333	31.7	10.4	36
2011	325	29.4	11.0	41.5
2012	314	30.6	10.2	41.1
2013	306	27.6	11.0	40.8
2014	313	28.2	11.0	44.1
2015	316	29.0	10.8	42.1
2016	328	30.0	10.9	44.5
2017	309	28.9	10.6	45.3
2018	314	27.8	11.2	43.9
2019	321	28.5	11.2	55.1
2020	326	27.7	11.7	48.2
2021	349	29.8	11.7	48.4
2022	341	28.4	11.9	46
2023	370	28.8	12.8	44.6

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 Palmer High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	163	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	176	13.0	13.5	n/a
1991	243	12.9	18.8	n/a
1992	283	15.9	17.7	17
1993	289	18.0	16.1	20.8
1994	281	19.1	14.7	16.4
1995	277	19.4	14.3	16.2
1996	277	19.4	14.3	16.2
1997	236	16.9	14.0	20.3
1998	258	18.2	14.2	20.5
1999	270	19.5	13.8	29.6
2000	267	20.8	12.8	22.8
2001	270	20.0	13.5	21.9
2002	291	24.5	11.9	22.3
2003	291	24.5	11.9	22.3
2004	331	28.1	11.8	18.4
2005	349	29.2	12.0	28.4
2006	331	28.5	11.6	29.3
2007	345	29.0	11.9	28.7
2008	330	29.8	11.1	28.8
2009	324	26.1	12.4	27.8
2010	333	31.7	10.4	36
2011	325	29.4	11.0	41.5
2012	314	30.6	10.2	41.1
2013	306	27.6	11.0	40.8
2014	313	28.2	11.0	44.1
2015	316	29.0	10.8	42.1
2016	328	30.0	10.9	44.5
2017	309	28.9	10.6	45.3
2018	314	27.8	11.2	43.9
2019	321	28.5	11.2	55.1
2020	326	27.7	11.7	48.2
2021	349	29.8	11.7	48.4
2022	341	28.4	11.9	46
2023	370	28.8	12.8	44.6

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 Palmer High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$775 (6.1%)	$11,832 (93.9%)	$12,606
2020	$832 (6.3%)	$12,391 (93.7%)	$13,223
2021	$883 (6.8%)	$12,127 (93.2%)	$13,010

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer High School

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 405^th of 1857 High schools	Ranks 442^nd of 1961 High schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Palmer High School)	74	57	17%
End of Course Algebra I (Palmer Independent School District (Isd))	77	67	10%
End of Course Algebra I (Texas)	62	45	17%
End of Course Biology (Palmer High School)	80	64	16%
End of Course Biology (Palmer Independent School District (Isd))	80	64	16%
End of Course Biology (Texas)	63	57	6%
End of Course English I Reading (Palmer High School)	57	77	20%
End of Course English I Reading (Palmer Independent School District (Isd))	57	77	20%
End of Course English I Reading (Texas)	49	54	5%
End of Course English II Reading (Palmer High School)	65	73	8%
End of Course English II Reading (Palmer Independent School District (Isd))	65	73	8%
End of Course English II Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
End of Course U.S. History (Palmer High School)	76	78	2%
End of Course U.S. History (Palmer Independent School District (Isd))	76	78	2%
End of Course U.S. History (Texas)	75	71	4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	321	370	15.3%
African American	3	8	166.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	142	175	23.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	166	177	6.6%
Two or More Races	7	8	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.1%	44.6%	10.5%

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2024)	STAAR EOC Biology (2024)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palmer High School	Public	9-12	422 W Jefferson	Palmer	75152	Ellis County	Palmer Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(972) 449-3487	370	29	12.8	44.6%	177 (47.8%)	8 (2.2%)	175 (47.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	71.5	386^th of 1987 public high schools	80.6%		69.4	442^nd of 1961 public high schools	77.5%	56	50.6	71.8	71.6	81.4	77.4	$13,010	$883	$12,127
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	5-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Palmer Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 449-3389																			(n/a)
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	5-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Ennis Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 825-5420																			(n/a)
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	9-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Ferris Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 825-5420	3				0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	5-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Italy Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 825-5420																			(n/a)
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	6-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Maypearl Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 825-5420																			(n/a)
Ellis County Jjaep	Public	5-12	2272 Fm 878	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Milford Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 825-5420																			(n/a)
Ferris High School	Public	9-12	1025 E 8th St	Ferris	75125	Ellis County	Ferris Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 544-3737	821	63	13.0	76.2%	128 (15.6%)	60 (7.3%)	616 (75.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	11 (1.3%)	45.4	1041^st of 1987 public high schools	47.6%		46.9	1012^th of 1961 public high schools	48.4%	29	17.5	49.5	51.2	59.3	72.5	$11,455	$1,128	$10,327
Red Oak High School	Public	8-12	220 S State Hwy 342	Red Oak	75154	Ellis County	Red Oak Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(972) 617-3535	2,160	137	15.7	54.5%	455 (21.1%)	811 (37.5%)	785 (36.3%)	22 (1.0%)	8 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	79 (3.7%)	38.1	1225^th of 1987 public high schools	38.3%		42.4	1128^th of 1961 public high schools	42.5%	97	37.7	49.2	45.9	51.3	62.6	$10,215	$546	$9,669
Waxahachie Global High School	Public	9-12	275 Indian Dr	Waxahachie	75165	Ellis County	Waxahachie Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(972) 923-4761	412	30	13.7	37.6%	188 (45.6%)	40 (9.7%)	158 (38.3%)	11 (2.7%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	10 (2.4%)	89	77^th of 1987 public high schools	96.1%		88.2	84^th of 1961 public high schools	95.7%	7	73.1	85.0	89.7	95.2	91.7	$9,792	$324	$9,469

Palmer High School

Palmer Independent School District (Isd):

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Rank History for Palmer High School

Rank History for all students at Palmer High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Palmer High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Palmer High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Palmer High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palmer High School

Rank History for Female students at Palmer High School

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Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palmer High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Palmer High School

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Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer High School

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