Summary
Mading Elementary is a PK-5 school in Houston, TX, serving 298 students within the Houston Independent School District (Isd), where over 96% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-20% of Texas elementary schools over the past decade, with its most recent state ranking placing it in the 7th percentile and earning a 0-star rating, making it the lowest-performing school in its immediate vicinity.
Mading’s most significant challenge is critical underperformance in mathematics, with proficiency rates around 22-25% in 2025-2026—roughly half the district average and far below the state average. In contrast, nearby Seguin Elementary (67th percentile) and Gregg Elementary (68th percentile), located less than 2 miles away and serving similar high-poverty populations, achieve math proficiency rates of 56-76%. Science is another critical weakness, with only 7.14% of 5th graders proficient in 2024-2025, compared to 24.95% in the district. However, Mading presents a fascinating paradox: its Special Education program ranks in the 87th percentile statewide (4-star rating), suggesting highly effective support for this subgroup that hasn’t been scaled to the general student body.
There was a glimmer of hope in 2024-2025 when 4th-grade math proficiency jumped to 51.22%, exceeding district and state averages, but this success wasn’t sustained, dropping back to 25% the following year. Mading spends $11,918 per student—more than higher-performing peers like Seguin ($10,874) and Gregg ($11,223)—indicating that funding isn’t the issue, but rather how resources are allocated. The geographic proximity of Mading to Seguin and Gregg, with vastly different outcomes despite similar demographics, highlights that school leadership, instructional quality, and culture can drive success even in high-poverty areas.
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