The town motto, "people of pride and purpose," is evident throughout Panhandle, Texas. In a town of 2,000, one-third of the population is school-age children, and all attend Panhandle elementary (pre-K-5), junior high (6-8), or high school. The Panhandle Panthers have a lot of school pride, which stems in large part from the Panhandle Independent School District's academic rigor. The district's schools have consistently ranked among the highest-achieving in the state. And that status has skyrocketed since using MAP® Growth™ and MAP Growth K-2. In 2011, Panhandle Elementary School moved up 50 places in the state ranking system--out of 4,000 elementary schools--to become the 29th highest-rated elementary school in Texas.