Summary
Taylor High School in Houston, TX, is a large comprehensive high school in the Alief Independent School District (Isd), serving nearly 2,900 students in grades 9-12 in a high-poverty area where about 79% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. While the school has historically ranked in the bottom third of Texas high schools, it shows clear signs of improvement, climbing from the 20th percentile to the 31st percentile over the past five years. A standout strength is U.S. History, where Taylor consistently outperforms both its district and the state—77.51% of students were proficient in the most recent year, compared to 68.18% for the district and 70.17% for the state. This is a bright spot in an otherwise challenging academic landscape, where subjects like English I and Biology trail state averages by over 20 percentage points.
Within the Alief district, Taylor is the top-performing traditional high school, outperforming Elsik High School and Hastings High School, but it is completely overshadowed by the district's magnet schools, particularly Kerr High School, located less than half a mile away and ranking in the top 1% of Texas high schools. This proximity likely draws many high-achieving students away from Taylor, contributing to its lower overall metrics. Compared to nearby schools in other districts, Taylor also lags behind Kempner High School and Westside High School, which boast graduation rates above 90%, while Taylor's graduation rate sits at 85% with a persistently high dropout rate of 3.9%.
Despite these challenges, Taylor has notable pockets of success. The school has been a top-tier performer for its African American students, ranking in the 61st percentile statewide, and has shown strong support for Special Education students, who ranked in the 76th percentile in a recent year. However, the school struggles to replicate this success across all groups, with Asian students ranking in the 18th percentile. The school's positive trajectory and targeted strengths suggest that recent initiatives may be making a gradual impact, but addressing the systemic issues driving student dropouts and improving overall academic proficiency remain critical priorities for the future.
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