Three Copperas Cove ISD Elementary Schools Earn Top State Rankings Again

For the third consecutive year, House Creek, Martin Walker and Fairview/Miss Jewell elementary schools in Copperas Cove have landed on U.S. News & World Report's Best Elementary Schools list in Texas, a ranking drawn from more than 6,000 campuses statewide.

House Creek Elementary, CCISD's first National Blue Ribbon School, ranked highest of the three at No. 402. The campus posted some of the strongest academic numbers in the district: 68% of students scored proficient or better in reading and 67% in math.

Martin Walker Elementary checked in at No. 583 on the U.S. News list, with 64% of students reading at proficiency and 62% reaching proficiency in math. The Texas Education Agency rated Martin Walker an "A" campus during its 2025 accountability cycle and awarded it five of six possible academic distinctions. It was also named to the Educational Results Partnership's 2025 Honor Roll list for the first time, a designation only 15% of eligible Texas campuses received. Principal Kelly Thompson said the recognition reflects the work of everyone in the building. "This award speaks to the dedication of our students, the heart of our staff and the support of our families," Thompson said. "At Martin Walker Elementary, we show every day what it means to be a place where kids come first."

Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary, which is also sometimes listed as Fairview-Jewell or Fairview/Jewell in district materials, ranked 903rd in Texas. The campus, rated B+ by the TEA and the recipient of five of six academic distinctions in the 2025 accountability cycle, recorded 57% proficiency in reading and 54% in math. Fairview/Miss Jewell was among the three campuses that also earned STAR-level designations on the ERP Honor Roll for outperforming peer schools in closing achievement gaps in reading and math over the past three years.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins credited a district-wide early literacy initiative targeting kindergarten through second grade as a key driver of the results. "If you can read, you learn anything," Hawkins said. "This approach at the elementary level has proven to be effective in student outcomes that extend far beyond state-mandated exams. We are glad to see the rest of the state take notice of how we innovate in the students' favor in Copperas Cove."

In a separate statement, Hawkins pointed to the broader culture the campuses have built. "Each of these three elementary campuses embodies everything it means to be a Bulldawg," he said. "They have set the standard for excellence that our families have come to expect from Copperas Cove ISD and continue to raise the bar on how we serve our students every day."

Copperas Cove ISD serves more than 7,600 students across 11 campuses, from pre-kindergarten through high school graduation. The three campuses each appeared on the U.S. News list in 2024 and 2025 as well, making the 2026 recognition the third straight year all three have held a place on the Texas ranking.