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Foster Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

4370^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 6% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Foster Elementary is a PK-5 public school in the Houston Independent School District (Isd) serving 334 students in a high-poverty area of Houston, TX, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Foster Elementary has experienced a dramatic and concerning decline in recent years. After performing solidly in the early 2020s, the school has dropped to the bottom 6th percentile statewide, a collapse not seen in nearby schools. The most significant issue is in mathematics, where proficiency rates are roughly half the district average. For example, in 4th-grade math, Foster's proficiency rate of 17.1% is a staggering 53.4 percentage points lower than Thompson Elementary, a school just 0.9 miles away that serves a similar demographic but is improving and earned a 4-star rating. Foster also has a higher student-teacher ratio (16.7) than its immediate neighbors like Young Elementary (12.8) and Lockhart Elementary (12.7), suggesting fewer instructional resources per student.

The data points to a systemic failure that began in the 2023-2024 school year, with test scores plummeting across all subjects and student groups. Notably, Foster's per-student spending ($11,839) is among the highest of nearby schools, exceeding that of higher-performing peers like Thompson ($11,521) and Beatrice Mayes Institute Charter School ($9,960), indicating the problem is not a lack of funding but likely a critical issue with leadership or instruction. The school's history of strong performance, particularly for its Hispanic students who ranked in the 97th percentile in 2021-2022, shows it has the potential to improve, but a major intervention is urgently needed.

334

Students ?

16.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,791

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3919 Ward St
Houston, TX 77021-4861

(713) 746-8260

District: Houston Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Foster Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cullen Middle
High:	Yates High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.0%

Hispanic:

8.7%

Two or more races:

1.8%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 5th percentile in 2016 → 6th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (28% vs 51% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (6th percentile)

!Mathematics scores 25 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg51%

Texas avg51%

4,370^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 6%▲ up 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

169^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	13.5	4370 of 4627	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.0	4480 of 4651	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.1	4408 of 4710	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	59.2	1643 of 4647	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.1	1419 of 4581	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.8	2904 of 4578	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.5	1686 of 4479	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.6	2512 of 4359	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	60.0	1491 of 4329	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	10.1	4086 of 4286	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	6.0	4223 of 4320	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	4.1	4225 of 4260	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	9.3	4100 of 4221	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	2.1	4188 of 4206	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	60.9	1768 of 4095	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	47.0	2483 of 3937	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	24.7	3408 of 3884	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	31.3	3066 of 3768	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	7.0	3653 of 3724	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	21.8	3114 of 3476	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	4.1	3451 of 3475	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	33.6	2747 of 3465	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	29.1	1909 of 2406	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.8	1812 of 2443	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	71.0	470 of 2443	80.8%	★★★★☆
2022	77.4	313 of 2421	87.1%	★★★★☆
2021	46.8	1156 of 2444	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	74.8	379 of 2515	84.9%	★★★★☆
2018	58.8	810 of 2483	67.4%	★★★☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	67.3	975 of 4461	78.1%	★★★★☆
2021	20.9	3997 of 4331	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	64.4	1070 of 4295	75.1%	★★★★☆
2018	51.4	1855 of 4240	56.3%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	66.1	866 of 3556	75.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	15.5	4274 of 4575	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	18.7	4152 of 4658	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	63.9	1359 of 4588	70.4%	★★★★☆
2022	66.5	1249 of 4561	72.6%	★★★★☆
2021	38.0	2687 of 4499	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	65.6	1211 of 4348	72.1%	★★★★☆
2018	50.9	1950 of 4306	54.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	53.1	1919 of 4465	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	84.9	377 of 4401	91.4%	★★★★★
2022	93.3	128 of 4376	97.1%	★★★★★
2019	59.1	1438 of 4188	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	78.3	549 of 4168	86.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	4056 of 4520	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.2	3516 of 4594	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	74.1	700 of 4521	84.5%	★★★★☆
2022	77.8	535 of 4477	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	45.5	2340 of 4451	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	70.3	798 of 4309	81.5%	★★★★☆
2018	54.5	1730 of 4264	59.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	14.6	4304 of 4582	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.1	3770 of 4647	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	51.2	2081 of 4585	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.4	1589 of 4563	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.9	3117 of 4498	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.3	2172 of 4357	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	30.3	3221 of 4319	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	23.7	3805 of 4301	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	87.0	262 of 4292	93.9%	★★★★★
2023	56.8	1254 of 4086	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.0	1988 of 3952	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.7	1916 of 3799	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.9	2985 of 3684	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.3	2495 of 3558	29.9%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

At Risk (2022)78th percentile+9 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)76th percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2024)57th percentile+51 vs school

African American (2026)21st percentile+15 vs school

Special Education (2026)12th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)10th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)7th percentile~ school

Male (2026)6th percentile~ school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading34%-20 vs state

Mathematics22%-25 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, August 1, 2011

my daughter loves this school. her pre-k teacher ms green was the best. i am looking forward to next year Close Quote

Schools Near Foster Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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 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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	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
Foster Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3919 Ward St	Houston	77021	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 746-8260	334	20	16.7	100.0%	5 (1.5%)	294 (88.0%)	29 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)	13.5	4370^th of 4627 public elementary schools	5.6%		10	4480^th of 4651 public elementary schools	3.7%	110			42.3	24.4	39.4				25.9	17.1	24.2					$10,791
Thompson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6121 Tierwester	Houston	77021	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 746-8250	363	27	13.5	95.9%	2 (0.6%)	325 (89.5%)	18 (5.0%)	7 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.5%)	68.6	1203^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	74.0%		46.5	2344^th of 4651 public elementary schools	49.6%	1141			61.3	54.6	59.4				51.6	70.5	50.0					$18,878
Beatrice Mayes Institute Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	5807 Calhoun Rd	Houston	77021	Harris County	Beatrice Mayes Institute Charter School	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 747-5629	558	36	15.6	78.3%	0 (0.0%)	544 (97.5%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.4%)	34.7	3103^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	32.9%		31.9	3318^th of 4651 public elementary schools	28.7%	215			59.4	27.1	47.2	44.6	58.3	60.4	48.4	20.0	40.3	29.7	33.3	52.1	58.3	$11,866
Hartsfield Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	5001 Perry St	Houston	77021	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 746-8280	287	21	13.6	97.9%	5 (1.7%)	210 (73.2%)	65 (22.6%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	18.7	4118^th of 4627 public elementary schools	11.0%		15.5	4259^th of 4651 public elementary schools	8.4%	141			40.6	14.8	36.1				32.4	25.9	33.3					$15,642
Whidby Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	7625 Springhill St	Houston	77021	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 746-8170	369	28	13.1	94.9%	5 (1.4%)	273 (74.0%)	75 (20.3%)	12 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	31.3	3350^th of 4627 public elementary schools	27.6%		26.9	3611^th of 4651 public elementary schools	22.4%	261	16.7	0.0	40.9	31.8	55.4				28.3	34.8	43.1					$16,608
Southside Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	5515 S Loop E Ste B	Houston	77033	Harris County	Yes Prep Public Schools Inc	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 924-5300	675	47	14.3	95.6%	3 (0.4%)	353 (52.3%)	303 (44.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.1%)	23.7	3829^th of 4627 public elementary schools	17.2%		26.6	3633^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	21.9%	196			29.8	32.6	50.0				28.7	47.7	22.5					$14,246
The Lawson Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	5052 Scott St	Houston	77004	Harris County	The Lawson Academy	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 225-1551	235	12	19.3	97.9%	4 (1.7%)	169 (71.9%)	54 (23.0%)	7 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)						43.5	56.0	47.6				26.1	36.0	52.4	23.8	$9,471
KIPP Peace Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-4	5400 Mlk Jr Blvd	Houston	77021	Harris County	KIPP Texas Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(832) 230-0564	525	24	21.8	96.0%	2 (0.4%)	380 (72.4%)	126 (24.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.1%)	10	4486^th of 4627 public elementary schools	3.0%		11.7	4424^th of 4651 public elementary schools	4.9%	62			31.7	21.1					19.3	23.7						$7,405
Young Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3555 Bellfort Ave	Houston	77051	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 732-3590	334	26	12.8	98.5%	8 (2.4%)	281 (84.1%)	38 (11.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.5%)	27.4	3604^th of 4627 public elementary schools	22.1%		35.3	3102^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	33.3%	502			25.6	39.0	59.5				22.5	36.6	37.2					$15,577
Lockhart Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3200 Rosedale St	Houston	77004	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 942-1950	306	24	12.7	93.8%	4 (1.3%)	270 (88.2%)	26 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	26	3696^th of 4627 public elementary schools	20.1%		34.9	3134^th of 4651 public elementary schools	32.6%	562			43.2	39.4	48.6				24.3	27.3	38.2					$17,991

Frequently Asked Questions about Foster Elementary

What schools do graduates of Foster Elementary attend?

Students who attend Foster Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cullen Middle
High : Yates High School

What is the racial makeup of Foster Elementary?

Students at Foster Elementary are 88% African American, 9% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% White.

What district is Foster Elementary in?

Houston Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Foster Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 334 students attended Foster Elementary.

Is Foster Elementary a good school?

Foster Elementary ranks in the bottom 5.6% of Texas elementary schools.

Rate Foster Elementary!

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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.