Palo Alto Elementary

Palo Alto Elementary in San Antonio, TX, serves 528 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in the South San Antonio Independent School District (Isd), where over 93% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This school has faced significant academic challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 10% of Texas elementary schools over the past five years. Its overall state ranking places it at the 5th percentile, making it the lowest-performing school in its immediate area. For example, Roy Benavidez Elementary, located less than half a mile away and serving a similar student population, consistently outperforms Palo Alto in nearly every subject. A particularly concerning area is 5th-grade Science, where only 4.48% of students were proficient in the 2024-2025 school year—far below the state average of 29.57%. Additionally, male students have experienced a dramatic decline, dropping from the 16th percentile to the 2nd percentile in just one year.

Despite these struggles, there is a notable bright spot: the school’s Special Education program ranks in the 82nd percentile statewide, suggesting highly effective support for these students. However, the school’s overall performance lags behind nearby options like Idea Ewing Halsell Academy, a charter school that achieves higher test scores with larger class sizes. While 3rd-grade Reading scores have shown slow improvement, other grades and subjects remain inconsistent, indicating a need for a more cohesive school-wide instructional strategy. For parents, this school offers a dedicated Special Education program but faces systemic challenges in raising achievement across core subjects.