Thomas Arnold Elementary

Q: Is Thomas Arnold Elementary a good school?

Thomas Arnold Elementary ranks 1131 st of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Thomas Arnold Elementary is a public elementary school located in Salado, Texas, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 1,029 students. The school is part of the Salado Independent School District, which is ranked 163 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thomas Arnold Elementary consistently outperforms the state average in STAAR test scores across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates in reading ranging from 56.77% to 63.19% compared to the state average of 48.85% to 53.96%. In mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 48.19% to 48.78%, compared to the state average of 40.86% to 48.96%. However, the school's performance for Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) students is relatively lower, ranking in the bottom quartile of Texas elementary schools. The school's student-teacher ratio is also relatively low, ranging from 14.7 to 15.2 over the past three school years.

Compared to nearby schools, Thomas Arnold Elementary generally outperforms in academic performance, with higher STAAR proficiency rates across most grade levels and subject areas. However, some nearby schools, such as Holland Elementary and Richard E Cavazos Elementary, have higher overall rankings and performance, particularly in reading and mathematics. Additionally, Nolanville Elementary, which is part of the Killeen Independent School District, has a more diverse student population and lower academic performance compared to Thomas Arnold Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

550 Thomas Arnold Rd
Salado, TX 76571

(254) 947-6900

District: Salado Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1131^st of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,763

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 1,029

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.8%

Hispanic:

26.5%

Two or more races:

4.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 32.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Thomas Arnold Elementary ranks better than 75.8% of elementary schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.86. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (66.8%), Hispanic (26.5%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 32.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Arnold Elementary is 15.2. (See more...)

Compare Thomas Arnold Elementary employs 67.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thomas Arnold Elementary is $7,763.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Thomas Arnold Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Salado Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Salado Independent School District (Isd) 163^rd of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Thomas Arnold Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	73.12	988^th	4578	78.4%
2022	60.19	1586^th	4581	65.4%
2023	68.86	1214^th	4647	73.9%
2024	69.86	1131^st	4675	75.8%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	46.21	519^th	961	46.0%
2022	36.26	711^th	1004	29.2%
2023	25.78	901^st	1099	18.0%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	12.64	3405^th	3446	1.2%
2022	9.67	3451^st	3487	1.0%
2023	11.80	3459^th	3556	2.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	51.24	1348^th	3799	64.5%
2022	58.36	1147^th	3952	71.0%
2023	34.40	2769^th	4086	32.2%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	49.76	2048^th	4451	54.0%
2022	36.79	3033^rd	4477	32.3%
2023	37.06	3083^rd	4521	31.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	73.51	923^rd	4499	79.5%
2022	57.95	1668^th	4561	63.4%
2023	65.76	1284^th	4588	72.0%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	72.63	800^th	3006	73.4%
2022	58.10	1511^th	2958	48.9%
2023	55.12	1695^th	2980	43.1%

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

Rank History for At Risk students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	16.49	4198^th	4331	3.1%
2022	19.86	4069^th	4461	8.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	68.98	1117^th	4498	75.2%
2022	61.21	1529^th	4563	66.5%
2023	69.77	1135^th	4585	75.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	55.96	1581^st	4329	63.5%
2022	35.84	3044^th	4376	30.4%
2023	51.89	1939^th	4401	55.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	56.18	1256^th	3082	59.2%
2022	48.71	1646^th	3082	46.6%
2023	56.73	1330^th	3106	57.2%

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.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Thomas Arnold Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	619	13	2	211	3	0	42	890
2020	661	8	1	253	2	2	38	965
2021	640	15	1	258	2	4	33	953
2022	678	12	4	272	2	4	45	1017
2023	687	15	3	273	2	4	45	1029

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 Thomas Arnold Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	890	53.1	16.7	33.4
2020	965	58.4	16.5	29.8
2021	953	63.8	14.9	29.1
2022	1017	69.1	14.7	25.8
2023	1029	67.2	15.2	32.2

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 Thomas Arnold Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	890	53.1	16.7	33.4
2020	965	58.4	16.5	29.8
2021	953	63.8	14.9	29.1
2022	1017	69.1	14.7	25.8
2023	1029	67.2	15.2	32.2

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 Thomas Arnold Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$452 (6.8%)	$6,206 (93.2%)	$6,658
2020	$376 (5.8%)	$6,139 (94.2%)	$6,515
2021	$718 (9.2%)	$7,045 (90.8%)	$7,763

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Thomas Arnold 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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	890	1029	15.6%
African American	13	15	15.4%
American Indian	3	2	33.3%
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	211	273	29.4%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	619	687	11%
Two or More Races	42	45	7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.4%	32.2%	1.2%

Schools Near Thomas Arnold Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2024)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2024)			STAAR Spanish Science (2024)	STAAR Reading (2024)					STAAR Mathematics (2024)					STAAR Science (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 Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Science 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Arnold Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	550 Thomas Arnold Rd	Salado	76571	Bell County	Salado Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 947-6900	1,029	67	15.2	32.2%	687 (66.8%)	15 (1.5%)	273 (26.5%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	4 (0.4%)	45 (4.4%)	69.9	1131^st of 4675 public elementary schools	75.8%		68.9	1214^th of 4647 public elementary schools	73.9%	83								57.1	56.8	63.2			48.2	48.4	48.8			43.3	$7,763	$718	$7,045
Chisholm Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	1082 S Wheat Rd	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 316-5100	868	61	14.1	60.7%	320 (36.9%)	56 (6.5%)	409 (47.1%)	10 (1.2%)	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.5%)	66 (7.6%)	31.6	3339^th of 4675 public elementary schools	28.6%		23.8	3778^th of 4647 public elementary schools	18.7%	439	11.8	5.0	10.5		11.1			28.8	43.4	46.6			39.0	31.4	35.1			9.5	$9,688	$1,412	$8,276
Miller Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1110 Fairway Dr	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-3300	317	27	11.7	81.7%	96 (30.3%)	50 (15.8%)	149 (47.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (6.3%)	13.1	4377^th of 4675 public elementary schools	6.4%		19.5	4039^th of 4647 public elementary schools	13.1%	338								30.2	27.1	35.6			23.3	11.9	24.4			0.0	$13,024	$2,129	$10,895
Southwest Elementary	Public	K-5	611 S Saunders	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-3500	402	34	11.8	86.6%	79 (19.7%)	26 (6.5%)	279 (69.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (4.2%)	18.2	4124^th of 4675 public elementary schools	11.8%		9.2	4486^th of 4647 public elementary schools	3.5%	362	0.0	30.4	21.7		0.0	16.7	0.0	36.2	29.3	16.7			25.8	31.6	27.8			4.3	$12,276	$1,701	$10,575
Nolan Creek School	Public, Charter	K-7	505 E Ave C	Belton	76513	Bell County	Orenda Charter School	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 939-4491	122	9	13.4		74 (60.7%)	9 (7.4%)	28 (23.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (9.0%)	48.7	2229^th of 4675 public elementary schools	52.3%		46.8	2355^th of 4647 public elementary schools	49.3%	126								41.2	60.0	56.5	62.5	38.5	35.3	45.0	39.1	25.0	38.5	17.4	$9,712	$965	$8,747
Double Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	855 Cr 307	Jarrell	76537	Williamson County	Jarrell Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(512) 746-2124	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)	0.0		0.0	4.4		0.0	0.0	24.2	27.0	36.9			14.6	21.8	39.4			14.4
Holland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	503 Crockett St	Holland	76534	Bell County	Holland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 657-2525	310	29	10.6	40.6%	215 (69.4%)	8 (2.6%)	76 (24.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)	77.7	839^th of 4675 public elementary schools	82.1%		83.9	613^th of 4647 public elementary schools	86.8%	226								67.4	70.6	72.1			53.2	29.4	67.4			60.5	$12,943	$1,426	$11,517
Nolanville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	901 Old Nolanville Rd	Nolanville	76559	Bell County	Killeen Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 336-2180	655	42	15.4	51.0%	193 (29.5%)	141 (21.5%)	213 (32.5%)	17 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.4%)	81 (12.4%)	61.9	1495^th of 4675 public elementary schools	68.0%		64.9	1377^th of 4647 public elementary schools	70.4%	118								40.9	53.8	66.4			41.8	46.3	57.9			30.7	$11,315	$1,374	$9,941
Leon Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1501 N Main	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-3200	216	18	12.0	61.6%	112 (51.9%)	12 (5.6%)	82 (38.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.2%)	63.5	1427^th of 4675 public elementary schools	69.5%		56.8	1775^th of 4647 public elementary schools	61.8%	348								56.3	51.3	66.7			50.0	30.8	51.3			38.5	$12,062	$1,361	$10,701
Richard E Cavazos Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 N 10th St	Nolanville	76559	Bell County	Killeen Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 336-7000	607	43	14.1	66.2%	209 (34.4%)	101 (16.6%)	229 (37.7%)	9 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.0%)	46 (7.6%)	81.7	690^th of 4675 public elementary schools	85.2%		78	845^th of 4647 public elementary schools	81.8%	155								61.6	59.5	69.0			57.0	79.7	76.1			28.2	$10,501	$1,402	$9,099

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Arnold Elementary

Is Thomas Arnold Elementary a good school?

Thomas Arnold Elementary ranks 1131^st of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Thomas Arnold Elementary in?

Salado Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Thomas Arnold Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,029 students attended Thomas Arnold Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Arnold Elementary?

Students at Thomas Arnold Elementary are 67% White, 27% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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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.