Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai Elementary in Richmond, TX, is a high-performing, 5-star school serving 1,118 students in grades PK-5 within the Fort Bend Independent School District (Isd), ranking in the top 5% of all Texas elementary schools for six consecutive years.

This school stands out for its exceptional academic results, consistently outperforming district and state averages by 15-35 percentage points on STAAR tests. For example, 3rd-grade Math proficiency reached 80.81% compared to the district's 55.16% and the state's 44.33%. Notably, Malala Yousafzai is particularly effective at supporting students from low socio-economic backgrounds and African American students, ranking in the 98th percentile statewide for both subgroups. This performance is a significant outlier compared to nearby schools like Mary Austin Holley Elementary, a 2-star school just 2.9 miles away, highlighting how school outcomes can vary dramatically within the same district. Even when compared to the equally high-performing Carolyn And Vernon Madden Elementary (ranked 139th), Malala Yousafzai's subgroup performance suggests it may be even more effective at closing achievement gaps.

While the school excels overall, there are areas for growth. Asian student performance ranks in the 57th percentile, a notable drop from the school's overall 96th percentile, and 5th-grade Science scores, while above average, are a relative weakness compared to Reading and Math. Despite these points, the school achieves its results with efficient spending ($8,207 per student), which is lower than many lower-performing nearby schools like Pecan Grove Elementary ($11,058) and Mary Austin Holley Elementary ($12,044).