Summary
Oak Forest Elementary in Houston, TX, is a high-performing public school in the Houston Independent School District (Isd) serving 950 students from Pre-K through 5th grade, and it stands out as a top-tier academic institution in the state. This school has consistently earned a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past decade, climbing to the 99th percentile in Texas—ranking 48th out of 4,627 elementary schools. Its academic performance is exceptional, with proficiency rates in Reading and Math ranging from 80% to 92% across all tested grades, which is roughly double that of the next best nearby school, Helms Elementary (ranked 748th), and triple or quadruple the performance of schools like Smith Elementary, Highland Hts Elementary, and Wainwright Elementary, which all rank in the bottom 50% of the state.
What makes Oak Forest Elementary particularly noteworthy is its ability to achieve elite results across all student subgroups, including African American, White, Multi-racial, and Asian students, all ranking in the 98th or 99th percentile statewide. This suggests that the school’s instructional strategies are highly effective for a diverse range of learners. However, the school does face a notable challenge with its English Language Learner (ELL) students, who, despite significant improvement from the 16th to the 76th percentile in recent years, still perform below the school’s otherwise stellar standards. Additionally, Oak Forest operates with impressive efficiency, spending $8,770 per student—significantly less than lower-performing neighbors like Wainwright Elementary ($13,054) and Highland Hts Elementary ($10,727)—while achieving top-tier results.
For parents comparing schools, Oak Forest Elementary is a clear standout in its area, but it’s important to note the stark contrast with nearby schools. For instance, Stevens Elementary, just 0.59 miles away, serves a very different student population and ranks in the 46th percentile. Even Garden Oaks Montessori, a magnet program 1.39 miles away with a more mixed demographic, performs significantly below Oak Forest (66th percentile vs. 99th). This makes Oak Forest a unique "pocket of high performance" in the area, offering an elite academic environment that is hard to match among its peers.
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