Carmichael Elementary

Carmichael Elementary in Houston, TX, serves 711 students in grades 1 through 5 within the Aldine Independent School District (Isd), and is a school on a strong upward trend, recently earning its best ranking in several years at the 57th percentile.

Carmichael’s greatest strength is its exceptional ability to drive academic growth for its core student population. The school ranks in the 80th percentile statewide for serving students from low socio-economic backgrounds, a remarkable achievement that far outpaces its overall rank. Additionally, its Hispanic students have shown a powerful 32-percentile-point jump in just three years, now ranking in the 74th percentile. A key driver of this success appears to be a robust bilingual program; on Spanish-language STAAR tests, Carmichael frequently scores well above the state average, such as in 5th Grade Spanish Reading (52.94% proficient vs. 34.82% statewide). While the school consistently outperforms the Aldine district average, it generally scores lower than nearby Klein Independent School District (Isd) schools like Klenk Elementary and McDougle Elementary, highlighting a stark contrast between the two neighboring districts.

To continue its positive trajectory, Carmichael must urgently address two critical weaknesses: chronic underperformance in 5th Grade Science, where scores have lingered around 9%, and inconsistent support for Special Education students, whose performance recently dropped to the 21st percentile. For context, the nearby Impact Leadership Academy—a school with a similar demographic profile—has shown explosive growth, jumping from the 27th to the 79th percentile in just two years, making it a compelling benchmark for Carmichael to study. Despite spending more per student than some Klein schools, Carmichael’s results show that spending alone is not a silver bullet, but its current upward momentum is a very positive sign for families.