Advertisement

GreatSchools Rating

John D Spicer Elementary School

Public | PK-5 | 627 students

 

Be sure to visit

Take along one of
our checklists:

 
Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
No new ratings
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
No new ratings

Teacher quality

Principal leadership

Parent involvement

Rate this school

Click on stars to rate
Please select a star rating for this school.
    Helpful reviews answer questions:
  • What do you think others should know?
  • What do you like?
  • How could your school improve?
    Review Guidelines
    GreatSchools won’t post reviews that contain:
  • Inappropriate language
  • Allegations of criminal conduct
  • Names of students, teachers or staff
1200 characters remaining
Please indicate your relationship to the school.
Please read and accept our Terms of Use to join GreatSchools.
Indicates a required field

12 reviews of this school


Sort by:
Show reviews by:
Posted January 10, 2011

I went to John D Spicer when I was in 4th grade. I am now 21 years old living in the Philippines, doing missionary work. I can say ,being a former student with reading difficulty, that Spicer Elementary provided me with a lot of help. I wish I could specify more but I don't remember the program I was in. I do remember however, that I was finally started to get it. I was only able to attend this school for a year and a half, due to moving a lot. Nevertheless, this school left a positive impression.


Posted March 2, 2010

Wow, I've had the exact same experience as the parent who has to reteach her child. I've actually hired a tutor, Mr. Dukes is very kind, but it really seems he has no clue on how rude and uncaring his female staff is. I wish there were more I could do.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted December 16, 2009

First year here and I wish we had one of the teachers that the other parents have talked about. I have to work with my child for him to understand. I found out which way is easier for him to understand and I work with him, otherwise he would be continuing with the bad grades he was getting. I asked to visit his classroom and was told I had to give 24 hours notice. After I asked them why I could not visit without notice, they asked the teacher and let me.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted July 12, 2008

This used to be a great school! It was a Texas Blue Ribbon school but the quality of education has declined in the last 5 years. The teachers won't help the gifted children excel but rather dumbs them down. I ended up pulling my child out and now she's excelling in her new school. She was also very behind in math and had to catch up.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 27, 2008

we have been going to spicer for 5 years now and we have loved each teacher we have had. the tier 1 school does bother me and some of the kids in our class are questionable but the only answer is to be invovled! they do offer alot of extra currircular activies and the staff works really hard to make sure the children are learning
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 31, 2006

Great teachers are found here. They all seem to do whatever it takes to help my kids get it.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 18, 2006

A good school full of devoted and dedicated staff seeking to enrich lifelong learners.
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted December 17, 2005

What a great school. I have 2 children at Spicer that have attended since Pre-K. All of their teachers have been outstanding. They go the extra mile to make sure the kids do well. The principal, Mr. Dukes, is so kind and cares so much about all the students. Students attend P.E. each day, have music lessons, book clubs for girls and boy's read. There are many opportunities for parents to be involved and it is always encouraged.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted August 21, 2005

Kids play area needs alot of work. Also, the school has been turned into a tier 1 school. School is over crowded now. 22 Per class.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 19, 2005

I would like to comment on what I have read from other parents. Spicer is a tough school. Students are expected to behave in class so that everyone can learn. I have volunteered at the school and see that many of the children that are behavior problems are ones that keep others from learning in the classroom which then they should be removed. I have always been welcome to come to my child's room to observe; however, I do not make a habit of it because it is true that parents are a distraction to their child and others. Why would I want to do that. Spicer is an excellent school and I would recommend it to anyone because the teachers expect a lot from their students. They want the students to succeed....not become idiots.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 17, 2005

I hope that I will be moving so that my son will not have to go to this school ever again. This school does not like to deal with your child unless they are perfect. If your child is not perfect the solution at this school is to put your child on medicine or send them home for the day so they don't have to deal with them. I would not bring your child to Spcier unless they are PERFECT.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 23, 2004

As a parent of a 3rd grader at Spicer, I just wanted to comment on the dedication of my daughters teacher. She is the most wonderful and caring teacher I have met, always there to help when my daughter has trouble with understanding certain assignments. I have yet to see a principal who is so involved with the children's well being. Mr. Dukes should be the role model for becoming a principal at an elementary school. I feel very confident that my daughter will achieve all that she is capable of in her adult years with the education that was offered, while attending John D Spicer Elementary.
—Submitted by Y Stafford, a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 87% in 2011.

90 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
87%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
83%

2008

 
 
89%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 89% in 2011.

90 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
91%

2010

 
 
92%

2009

 
 
92%

2008

 
 
98%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

The state average for Math was 88% in 2011.

83 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
76%

2010

 
 
97%

2009

 
 
81%

2008

 
 
84%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 85% in 2011.

84 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
90%

2009

 
 
86%

2008

 
 
85%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 90% in 2011.

79 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
90%

2010

 
 
98%

2009

 
 
89%

2008

 
 
97%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

The state average for Math was 81% in 2011.

91 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
90%

2010

 
 
93%

2009

 
 
91%

2008

 
 
81%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 82% in 2011.

91 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
91%

2010

 
 
97%

2009

 
 
93%

2008

 
 
94%
Science

The state average for Science was 87% in 2011.

88 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
89%

2010

 
 
91%

2009

 
 
90%

2008

 
 
84%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students87%
Female91%
Male83%
Black or African American79%
Asian100%
Hispanic90%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White84%
Economically disadvantaged83%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Special education67%
Not special education88%
Limited English proficient (LEP)95%
Proficient in English85%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant87%
Gifted/talented100%

Reading

All Students91%
Female93%
Male89%
Black or African American89%
Asian87%
Hispanic95%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White90%
Economically disadvantaged90%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Special education67%
Not special education93%
Limited English proficient (LEP)89%
Proficient in English92%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant91%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students76%
Female76%
Male76%
Black or African American58%
Asian100%
Hispanic75%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White84%
Economically disadvantaged71%
Not economically disadvantaged85%
Special education33%
Not special education81%
Limited English proficient (LEP)81%
Proficient in English75%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant76%
Gifted/talented100%

Reading

All Students80%
Female81%
Male79%
Black or African American73%
Asian100%
Hispanic70%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White90%
Economically disadvantaged75%
Not economically disadvantaged89%
Special education50%
Not special education84%
Limited English proficient (LEP)81%
Proficient in English79%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant80%
Gifted/talented100%

Writing

All Students90%
Female90%
Male89%
Black or African American96%
Asian93%
Hispanic79%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White89%
Economically disadvantaged90%
Not economically disadvantaged89%
Special education67%
Not special education92%
Limited English proficient (LEP)80%
Proficient in English92%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant90%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students90%
Female91%
Male89%
Black or African American82%
Asian100%
Hispanic96%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White88%
Economically disadvantaged86%
Not economically disadvantaged97%
Special educationn/a
Not special education93%
Limited English proficient (LEP)88%
Proficient in English89%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant90%
Gifted/talented100%

Reading

All Students91%
Female91%
Male91%
Black or African American76%
Asian100%
Hispanic100%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White91%
Economically disadvantaged88%
Not economically disadvantaged97%
Special educationn/a
Not special education92%
Limited English proficient (LEP)100%
Proficient in English89%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant91%
Gifted/talented100%

Science

All Students89%
Female87%
Male91%
Black or African American59%
Asian100%
Hispanic100%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White94%
Economically disadvantaged85%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Special educationn/a
Not special education89%
Limited English proficient (LEP)100%
Proficient in English86%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant89%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

  • In 2010-2011, this school was rated "Academically Acceptable".
  • In 2009-2010, this school was rated "Recognized".
  • In 2008-2009, this school was rated "Academically Acceptable".

About the tests


Texas uses Accountability Ratings to indicate the overall performance of each school and district. The ratings are based on TAKS test results, dropout rates for grades 7 and 8 and school completion rates for grades 9 through 12. Schools and districts rated under standard accountability procedures are designated as Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable or Academically Unacceptable. Schools and districts rated under alternative education accountability (AEA) procedures are designated as either AEA: Academically Acceptable or AEA: Academically Unacceptable.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 32% 31%
Hispanic 26% 50%
Black 22% 13%
Asian 14% 3%
Two or more races 5% 2%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 0%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0% 0%
Source: NCES, 2010-2011

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Special education 10%N/A10%
Gifted/talented students 7%N/A8%
Economically disadvantaged 56%N/A55%
Limited English proficient (LEP) 19%N/A17%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 16N/A15
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher experience

  This school District averageState average
Beginning teachers 3%N/A8%
1 to 5 years 29%N/A30%
6 to 10 years 21%N/A20%
11 to 20 years 27%N/A23%
21 or more years 20%N/A19%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008

School basics

School Leader's name
  • Cheryl Schwaebler
Fax number
  • (817) 581-5497

Resources

Extra learning resources offered
  • Title I Schoolwide program (SWP)
School leaders can update this information here.

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events found for this school
Searching for school events...
Date
Title
  • {{date}}
    {{title}}
Export calendar
Microsoft Outlook
iCal Format
Google Calendar
POWERED BY
Tandem

Apply

 

TIP: Don't forget to ask about documents required for enrollment, such as your child's birth certificate, proof of address, or a record of immunizations.

 
Apply now
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

4300 Estes Park Rd
Haltom City, TX 76137
Website: Click here
Phone: (817) 547-3300

ADVERTISEMENT

Compare this school
to nearby schools

Compare schools »

Compare

Add this school to compare
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT