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Durham Elementary

Q: Is Durham Elementary a good school?

Durham Elementary ranks 942 nd of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

942^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 80% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Durham Elementary is a PK-5 public school in the Houston Independent School District (Isd), serving 547 students in the 77018 area of Houston, TX. This school has achieved a remarkable turnaround, climbing from the bottom 26th percentile in 2015-2016 to an impressive 80th percentile statewide in 2025-2026, earning a 4-star rating. Durham consistently outperforms both the district and state averages in Reading and Mathematics for grades 3-5, with 3rd-grade Reading proficiency at 70.18% compared to the district's 51.06% and state's 51.08%.

What truly sets Durham apart is its exceptional performance with male students, who ranked in the 89th percentile statewide in 2025-2026—a dramatic improvement from the 57th percentile just three years prior. The school also demonstrates strong and equitable outcomes across nearly all student subgroups, with White (90th percentile), African American (76th), Hispanic (79th), and Special Education (74th) students all earning 4-star ratings. This success is achieved with remarkable efficiency: Durham's per-student spending of $9,194 is significantly lower than nearby schools like Wesley Elementary ($14,334) and Burrus Elementary ($11,762), yet it delivers top-tier results.

While Durham excels in Reading and early Math, there is a notable dip in 5th-grade Science scores, which have been consistently below the state average for the past three years. The school's student-teacher ratio of 15.6 is higher than many lower-performing neighbors like Burrus (11.6) and Northline Elementary (12.9), suggesting that quality of instruction, not class size, drives success. Durham is located less than 1.3 miles from the 5-star Oak Forest Elementary (99th percentile), which has a much lower free/reduced lunch rate (11.37% vs. Durham's 57.95%), highlighting a sharp socioeconomic divide in the neighborhood. For parents seeking a school that delivers strong academic results with efficient resource use and a proven track record of improvement, Durham is an excellent choice.

547

Students ?

15.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,188

Per pupil spending ?

58%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4803 Brinkman St
Houston, TX 77018-2021

(713) 613-2527

District: Houston Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Durham Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Black Middle
High:	Waltrip High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

59.6%

White:

27.1%

African American:

10.2%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Durham Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 26th percentile in 2016 → 80th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Texas average (60% vs 50% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 20% of Texas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 54 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg50%

Texas avg50%

942^nd of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 20%▲ up 54 pts since 2016

From bottom 26% (2016) to top 20% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

26^th of 170Elementary Schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd)

438^th of 951Houston Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	74.9	942 of 4627	79.6%	★★★★☆
2025	59.8	1589 of 4651	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.9	1177 of 4710	75.0%	★★★★☆
2023	48.3	2279 of 4647	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.2	1737 of 4581	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.0	2442 of 4578	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.1	2339 of 4479	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.4	2778 of 4359	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	35.2	2831 of 4329	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2016	32.6	3177 of 4286	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	23.4	3637 of 4320	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	18.5	3879 of 4260	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	32.3	3297 of 4221	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	44.5	2624 of 4206	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	60.7	1777 of 4095	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	50.1	2331 of 3937	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	63.3	1530 of 3884	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2008	59.8	1669 of 3768	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	29.2	3094 of 3724	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	49.6	2074 of 3476	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	44.7	2277 of 3475	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	48.2	2111 of 3465	39.1%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	65.5	588 of 2406	75.6%	★★★★☆
2024	72.0	433 of 2443	82.3%	★★★★☆
2023	49.6	1090 of 2443	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.7	515 of 2421	78.7%	★★★★☆
2021	42.0	1337 of 2444	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	67.1	575 of 2515	77.1%	★★★★☆
2018	58.3	827 of 2483	66.7%	★★★☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	51.5	1989 of 4461	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.8	2513 of 4331	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.8	3138 of 4295	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.6	3465 of 4240	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	43.1	2020 of 3668	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.4	2768 of 3556	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	53.0	1475 of 3487	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.5	2046 of 3446	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.0	2111 of 3333	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.2	2796 of 3226	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	60.5	1552 of 4575	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.3	1968 of 4658	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.8	2685 of 4588	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.8	2231 of 4561	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.4	2958 of 4499	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.9	2748 of 4348	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.4	2784 of 4306	35.3%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	52.5	1899 of 3075	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.1	2044 of 2980	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	63.3	1222 of 2958	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.9	1766 of 3006	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.7	2268 of 3184	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	56.2	1686 of 3106	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	70.2	929 of 4413	78.9%	★★★★☆
2024	57.1	1654 of 4465	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.0	2759 of 4401	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.3	2137 of 4376	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.2	2746 of 4329	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.8	2783 of 4188	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.9	2993 of 4168	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	56.4	1674 of 4520	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.1	1564 of 4594	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.3	2997 of 4521	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.9	2435 of 4477	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.2	3374 of 4451	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.0	2919 of 4309	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.2	2840 of 4264	33.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	85.4	516 of 4582	88.7%	★★★★☆
2024	73.6	962 of 4647	79.3%	★★★★☆
2023	52.7	1992 of 4585	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.1	1477 of 4563	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.2	2016 of 4498	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.1	2005 of 4357	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.0	2774 of 4319	35.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	61.3	1107 of 4301	74.3%	★★★★☆
2024	39.1	2659 of 4292	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.1	2627 of 4086	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.9	3392 of 3952	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.9	2290 of 3684	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	14.9	3525 of 3558	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	83.1	302 of 3006	90.0%	★★★★☆
2024	81.4	347 of 3108	88.8%	★★★★☆
2023	76.0	560 of 3106	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	80.6	353 of 3082	88.5%	★★★★☆
2021	54.4	1317 of 3082	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.4	1103 of 3142	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	74.8	617 of 3127	80.3%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)90th percentile+10 vs school

Male (2026)89th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2026)79th percentile~ school

African American (2026)76th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)74th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2026)66th percentile-14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)63rd percentile-17 vs school

At Risk (2022)55th percentile-7 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)45th percentile-30 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)38th percentile-41 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading67%+13 vs state

Mathematics56%+9 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, January 23, 2014

school rankings say so little about a school. I am very happy with the changes and improvements Ms. Sugarek is making as principal. My child is extremely happy there, and I am as well. Close Quote

Schools Near Durham Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)			STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)						STAAR Mathematics (2026)						STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Durham Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	4803 Brinkman St	Houston	77018	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 613-2527	547	35	15.6	58.0%	148 (27.1%)	56 (10.2%)	326 (59.6%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.6%)	74.9	942^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	79.6%		59.8	1589^th of 4651 public elementary schools	65.8%	647	20.0			40.0				70.2	63.9	67.5				64.9	48.6	57.5					$8,188
Brazos School For Inquiry And Creativity Tidwell	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	1055 W Tidwell Rd	Houston	77091	Harris County	Brazos School For Inquiry & Creativity	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 681-1960	151	11	13.9	100.0%	4 (2.6%)	61 (40.4%)	81 (53.6%)	3 (2.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	30.7	3386^th of 4627 public elementary schools	26.8%		47.3	2301^st of 4651 public elementary schools	50.5%	1085								31.3	26.3	50.0	37.5			6.7	36.8	80.0	87.5				$10,714
Garden Oaks Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	901 Sue Barnett Dr	Houston	77018	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 696-2930	763	44	17.2	42.7%	187 (24.5%)	45 (5.9%)	440 (57.7%)	43 (5.6%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	42 (5.5%)	60.6	1589^th of 4627 public elementary schools	65.7%		42.6	2598^th of 4651 public elementary schools	44.1%	1009	33.3						86.4	60.8	52.2	65.4	65.9	80.0	79.4	46.2	46.4	43.8	47.7	48.0	47.1	44.1	$8,881
Highland Hts Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	865 Paul Quinn St	Houston	77091	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 696-2920	441	29	15.2	97.1%	3 (0.7%)	204 (46.3%)	226 (51.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	13.9	4343^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	6.1%		34	3194^th of 4651 public elementary schools	31.3%	1149	16.7	16.7	0.0	28.6	20.0	0.0		30.2	28.6	28.8				17.5	37.5	27.0					$16,644
Oak Forest Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1401 W 43rd St	Houston	77018	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	No	(713) 613-2536	950	53	17.7	11.4%	534 (56.2%)	36 (3.8%)	233 (24.5%)	79 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	67 (7.1%)	98.1	48^th of 4627 public elementary schools	99.0%		97.4	79^th of 4651 public elementary schools	98.3%	31								85.3	85.2	92.3				87.1	80.0	88.4					$7,271
Kennedy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Victoria Dr	Houston	77022	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 696-2686	430	30	14.3	97.0%	2 (0.5%)	86 (20.0%)	336 (78.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	43.6	2470^th of 4627 public elementary schools	46.6%		51	2083^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	55.2%	387	28.6	37.5		35.5	55.6			50.8	35.9	53.1				30.6	32.0	59.4					$12,624
Wesley Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	800 Dillard St	Houston	77091	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 696-2860	291	22	13.0	100.0%	3 (1.0%)	196 (67.4%)	87 (29.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	25.1	3750^th of 4627 public elementary schools	19.0%		21.1	3968^th of 4651 public elementary schools	14.7%	218								25.0	29.0	73.9				16.7	29.0	41.7					$10,997
Stevens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1910 Lamonte Ln	Houston	77018	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 613-2546	556	37	15.0	90.6%	34 (6.1%)	56 (10.1%)	458 (82.4%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	43	2510^th of 4627 public elementary schools	45.8%		39.1	2828^th of 4651 public elementary schools	39.2%	318	22.9	33.3	20.0	18.8	32.5	0.0		44.7	60.3	50.0				25.5	51.9	40.0					$9,141
Burrus Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	701 E 33rd St	Houston	77022	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 867-5180	198	17	11.6	96.5%	4 (2.0%)	127 (64.1%)	65 (32.8%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.9	1915^th of 4627 public elementary schools	58.6%		61.7	1492^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	67.9%	423								50.0	40.0	76.0				22.2	25.0	76.0					$17,926
Northline Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	821 Witcher Ln	Houston	77076	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 696-2890	358	28	12.9	97.8%	3 (0.8%)	21 (5.9%)	333 (93.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20.5	4017^th of 4627 public elementary schools	13.2%		37.5	2952^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	36.5%	1065								23.3	27.6	46.7				20.0	32.8	40.0					$13,218

Frequently Asked Questions about Durham Elementary

What schools do graduates of Durham Elementary attend?

Students who attend Durham Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Black Middle
High : Waltrip High School

What district is Durham Elementary in?

Houston Independent School District (Isd)

Is Durham Elementary a good school?

Durham Elementary ranks 942^nd of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Durham Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 547 students attended Durham Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Durham Elementary?

Students at Durham Elementary are 60% Hispanic, 27% White, 10% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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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.