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Buffalo Creek Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

4246^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 8% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Buffalo Creek Elementary is a PK-5 school in Houston, TX, serving 741 students within the Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd), and it is currently facing a severe academic crisis that sets it apart from all nearby schools. The school’s overall performance has collapsed dramatically, dropping from the 37th percentile statewide in 2023-2024 to the 8th percentile in 2025-2026, a decline far steeper than any neighboring school. For context, nearby schools like Pine Shadows Elementary and Cedar Brook Elementary have remained relatively stable, while Ridgecrest Elementary saw a drop but not of this magnitude. STAAR test scores in core subjects like 3rd grade math (18.45% meeting grade level) and 4th grade reading (23.68%) are the lowest in the area, far below the district and state averages.

Despite these challenges, there are a few bright spots. The school’s Gifted and Talented program has historically performed well, ranking in the 71st percentile in 2024-2025. Additionally, Buffalo Creek shows surprising strength in Spanish-language STAAR tests, often outperforming the district and state averages in subjects like 5th grade reading (50% vs. 33.33% district). This suggests that the bilingual or ESL programs may be relatively effective for some students. However, the school is struggling significantly with its most vulnerable populations, including low socio-economic status and special education students, whose performance has plummeted from the 54th percentile to the 15th percentile in just two years.

Adding to the concern, Buffalo Creek spends more per student ($13,009) than most nearby peers, such as Pine Shadows Elementary ($10,565) and Ridgecrest Elementary ($11,308), yet achieves the lowest academic outcomes in the area. This points to a potential issue with how resources are allocated or the need for a different instructional approach. With over 96% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and a high English Language Learner population, the school faces a perfect storm of challenges that require urgent attention from the Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd).

741

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,519

Per pupil spending ?

96.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2801 Blalock Rd
Houston, TX 77080-2822

(713) 251-5300

District: Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Buffalo Creek Elementary usually attend:

High:

Northbrook High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

87.0%

African American:

4.9%

White:

4.3%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 37th percentile in 2016 → 8th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (29% vs 50% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 29 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg60%

Texas avg50%

4,246^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▼ down 28 pts since 2016

From bottom 37% (2016) to bottom 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd of 23Elementary Schools in the Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)

282^nd of 951Spring Branch 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	15.9	4246 of 4627	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	14.0	4333 of 4651	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	37.5	2985 of 4710	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.4	2637 of 4647	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.6	2575 of 4581	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.4	2540 of 4578	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	22.4	3780 of 4479	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.4	3045 of 4359	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	33.4	2941 of 4329	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	42.0	2719 of 4286	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	37.1	3004 of 4320	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	45.9	2596 of 4260	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	46.7	2478 of 4221	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	36.9	3046 of 4206	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	43.8	2756 of 4095	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	65.1	1467 of 3937	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	34.2	3019 of 3884	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	49.0	2248 of 3768	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	63.2	1471 of 3724	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2006	46.5	2215 of 3476	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	63.3	1353 of 3475	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2004	56.3	1675 of 3465	51.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	45.2	1270 of 2406	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.7	1191 of 1905	37.5%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	67.0	993 of 4461	77.7%	★★★★☆
2021	64.6	980 of 4331	77.4%	★★★★☆
2019	54.3	1687 of 4295	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.3	1022 of 4240	75.9%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	27.5	1341 of 1643	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.5	2525 of 2918	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	41.1	2148 of 3668	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.1	1455 of 3556	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.7	1275 of 3487	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.8	1136 of 3446	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	43.1	1939 of 3333	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	58.8	1078 of 3226	66.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	17.0	4215 of 4575	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	14.2	3529 of 3744	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	39.5	2864 of 4658	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.2	2405 of 4588	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.3	2571 of 4561	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.5	2665 of 4499	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.0	3719 of 4348	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.0	2998 of 4306	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	69.3	758 of 2619	71.1%	★★★★☆
2023	56.5	1644 of 2980	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	65.4	1087 of 2958	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	40.2	2386 of 3184	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.4	1944 of 3106	37.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	19.4	4033 of 4413	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	18.0	3334 of 3644	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	42.7	2601 of 4465	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.6	2219 of 4401	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.8	1911 of 4376	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.6	2023 of 4329	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	25.9	3514 of 4188	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	39.9	2591 of 4168	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	25.5	3856 of 4520	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.3	3313 of 3705	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	51.6	2100 of 4594	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.4	1948 of 4521	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.7	1764 of 4477	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.9	1825 of 4451	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	33.7	3215 of 4309	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	44.3	2397 of 4264	43.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	17.8	4166 of 4582	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	17.1	3388 of 3739	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	35.8	3091 of 4647	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.7	2790 of 4585	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.3	2608 of 4563	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.0	2325 of 4498	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.7	3623 of 4357	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.6	3071 of 4319	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	16.7	5 of 6	16.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	23.3	3824 of 4301	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.2	3012 of 3549	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.6	3168 of 4292	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.3	3579 of 4086	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.4	2988 of 3952	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	38.7	2144 of 3799	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.9	2610 of 3684	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	44.9	1717 of 3558	51.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	37.1	1804 of 2612	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.4	2668 of 3106	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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+34 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)71st percentile+64 vs school

African American (2026)47th percentile+39 vs school

White (2025)31st percentile+24 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)18th percentile+10 vs school

Native American (2025)17th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)15th percentile+6 vs school

Special Education (2026)11th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)9th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)9th percentile~ school

Female (2026)8th percentile~ school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading31%-23 vs state

Mathematics29%-19 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, October 22, 2012

Love the teachers and staff at BCE. We transferred in the Spring 2012 Semester after leaving a highly-regarded private school in the neighborhood. The attention and help we received from BCE surpassed that we received at the private school in leaps and bounds. All the teachers are committed to each and every child and to helping them reach their potential, working with them at the level that the individual needs. The admin staff were so supportive and helpful in getting us quickly transitioned, answering our questions and concerns. The principal and assistant principal are wonderful and have been very responsive to our needs, questions and concerns. Anyone considering BCE for their child should be confident that every effort will be expended to help that child thrive. Close Quote

Schools Near Buffalo Creek 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)			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 Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Buffalo Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2801 Blalock Rd	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-5300	741	53	13.9	96.9%	32 (4.3%)	36 (4.9%)	645 (87.0%)	6 (0.8%)	12 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.3%)	15.9	4246^th of 4627 public elementary schools	8.2%		14	4333^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	6.8%	87	28.1	7.1	50.0	0.0	7.7	10.0	28.6	23.7	43.4	18.5	28.3	40.5	$12,519
Edgewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8757 Kempwood Dr	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-5600	503	40	12.5	92.2%	22 (4.4%)	14 (2.8%)	440 (87.5%)	11 (2.2%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.8%)	34.8	3101^st of 4627 public elementary schools	33.0%		18.8	4094^th of 4651 public elementary schools	12.0%	993							38.6	40.8	47.5	34.3	46.2	43.8	$12,866
Hollibrook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3602 Hollister	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-5800	636	41	15.3	99.4%	12 (1.9%)	6 (0.9%)	607 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	40.8	2678^th of 4627 public elementary schools	42.1%		48	2261^st of 4651 public elementary schools	51.4%	417							38.6	33.3	60.4	36.1	44.8	53.9	$10,796
Pine Shadows Elementary	Public	K-5	9900 Neuens	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-6500	859	60	14.3	69.7%	125 (14.6%)	37 (4.3%)	652 (75.9%)	20 (2.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.6%)	55.9	1810^th of 4627 public elementary schools	60.9%		49.1	2195^th of 4651 public elementary schools	52.8%	385	20.0						51.3	58.5	56.1	50.0	46.0	47.0	$9,913
Cedar Brook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2121 Ojeman Rd	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-5500	654	43	15.0	76.9%	45 (6.9%)	40 (6.1%)	544 (83.2%)	13 (2.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.5%)	55.2	1843^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	60.2%		61.1	1527^th of 4651 public elementary schools	67.2%	316			36.4				45.6	46.8	55.3	47.8	63.0	50.5	$10,461
Spring Branch Elementary	Public	K-5	1700 Campbell Rd	Houston	77080	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-7000	570	39	14.5	96.0%	24 (4.2%)	26 (4.6%)	492 (86.3%)	10 (1.8%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)	56.3	1793^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	61.2%		40	2772^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	40.4%	979	50.0	33.3		22.2	40.0		43.0	38.4	53.0	58.1	58.9	66.7	$11,765
Terrace Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10400 Rothbury	Houston	77043	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-7200	457	35	12.8	75.9%	84 (18.4%)	45 (9.8%)	285 (62.4%)	20 (4.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.8%)	31.7	3312^th of 4627 public elementary schools	28.4%		28.9	3506^th of 4651 public elementary schools	24.6%	194							44.3	40.3	47.7	33.9	39.5	37.9	$12,717
Ridgecrest Elementary	Public	K-5	2015 Ridgecrest	Houston	77055	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-6600	836	57	14.5	96.7%	39 (4.7%)	14 (1.7%)	762 (91.1%)	13 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.6%)	33.2	3210^th of 4627 public elementary schools	30.6%		41.4	2680^th of 4651 public elementary schools	42.4%	530	21.4	6.7	0.0	30.8	28.6	28.6	42.1	37.2	40.0	44.6	45.3	36.3	$10,864
Woodview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9749 Cedardale	Houston	77055	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-7800	503	38	13.2	95.8%	20 (4.0%)	17 (3.4%)	452 (89.9%)	8 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	25.3	3732^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	19.3%		19.6	4051^st of 4651 public elementary schools	12.9%	319							36.3	36.1	44.6	27.5	34.9	43.2	$12,421
Westwood Elementary	Public	K-5	10595 Hammerly	Houston	77043	Harris County	Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 251-2100	475	36	13.0	93.7%	21 (4.4%)	18 (3.8%)	423 (89.1%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.5%)	27.9	3571^st of 4627 public elementary schools	22.8%		26.2	3650^th of 4651 public elementary schools	21.5%	79		20.0	83.3				28.4	40.7	43.3	39.7	43.6	32.3	$13,117

Frequently Asked Questions about Buffalo Creek Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Buffalo Creek Elementary?

Students at Buffalo Creek Elementary are 87% Hispanic, 5% African American, 4% White, 2% American Indian, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Buffalo Creek Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 741 students attended Buffalo Creek Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Buffalo Creek Elementary attend?

Students who attend Buffalo Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Northbrook High School

Is Buffalo Creek Elementary a good school?

Buffalo Creek Elementary ranks in the bottom 8.2% of Texas elementary schools.

What district is Buffalo Creek Elementary in?

Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd)

Rate Buffalo Creek 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.