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Pilgrim Academy

Public Grades PK, KG-8
1786th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools
Better than 61% of Texas elementary schools
Summary

Pilgrim Academy is a large PK-8 school in Houston, TX, serving 1,233 students within the Houston Independent School District (Isd), and it has staged a remarkable academic turnaround, jumping from the bottom 30th percentile to the 61st percentile in recent years despite serving a highly disadvantaged population where over 97% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The school’s most impressive strength is its upper-grade mathematics program. In 7th and 8th grade math, as well as Algebra I, Pilgrim Academy’s proficiency rates are dramatically higher than both the district and state averages. For example, 67% of 8th graders are proficient in math, compared to 47% across the district and state. This success is not shared by nearby schools with similar demographics, such as Draw Academy (16th percentile) or Benavidez Elementary (4th percentile), which remain stuck in the bottom ranks. Pilgrim’s performance in 8th grade math is nearly identical to that of the high-performing Briarmeadow Charter (91st percentile), even though Briarmeadow serves a much more affluent population. This shows that Pilgrim’s leadership and instructional strategies are effectively overcoming the challenges of poverty.

Pilgrim Academy is also exceptionally effective at supporting its most vulnerable students. The school ranks in the top 18% statewide for low-socioeconomic status students and in the top 8% for African American students, a stark contrast to its own recent history and to nearby schools. Additionally, its English Language Learners program has seen a massive leap, ranking in the 89th percentile statewide. While the school’s dropout rate saw a slight spike to 2.0% in 2023-2024, it remains below the district average of 3.8%. Overall, Pilgrim Academy is a compelling example of how effective school leadership can drive high performance in a high-needs environment, outperforming many nearby schools like Mark White Elementary (28th percentile) and Rodriguez Elementary (31st percentile).

1,233
Students ?
18.1
Student/teacher ratio ?
$8,375
Per pupil spending ?
97.6%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 6302 Skyline
       Houston, TX  77057-6902

(713) 458-4672

District: Houston Independent School District (Isd)


Students who attend Pilgrim Academy usually attend:

Middle:    Tanglewood Middle
High:    Wisdom High School
Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
92.7%
African American:
4.1%
White:
2.4%
more
 See top rated Texas elementary schools

 Compare Pilgrim Academy to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 61st in 2026
Strengths
Test scores above the Texas average (55% vs 48% meeting standards)
Ranking is trending up — up 16 percentile points since 2016
Above the Texas median (61st percentile)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school55%
District avg49%
Texas avg48%
Elementary school
1,786th of 4,627
Texas public elementary schools ?
Top 39%▲ up 16 pts since 2016
From bottom 45% (2016) to top 39% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
398th of 2,335
Texas public middle schools ?
Top 17%▲ up 38 pts since 2016
From bottom 45% (2016) to top 17% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
61st of 170Elementary Schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd)
438th of 951Houston 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)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202656.51786 of 462761.4%★★★☆☆
202547.72278 of 465151.0%★★★☆☆
202432.33325 of 471029.4%★☆☆☆☆
202329.73417 of 464726.5%★☆☆☆☆
202231.03312 of 458127.7%★☆☆☆☆
202120.63811 of 457816.8%★☆☆☆☆
201943.52463 of 447945.0%★★☆☆☆
201844.82252 of 435948.3%★★☆☆☆
201746.82136 of 432950.7%★★★☆☆
201649.42336 of 428645.5%★★☆☆☆
201552.02222 of 432048.6%★★☆☆☆
201448.52425 of 426043.1%★★☆☆☆
201341.42795 of 422133.8%★★☆☆☆
201246.12517 of 420640.2%★★☆☆☆
201150.72366 of 409542.2%★★☆☆☆
201064.81476 of 393762.5%★★★☆☆
200954.91981 of 388449.0%★★☆☆☆
200864.71373 of 376863.6%★★★☆☆
200764.91371 of 372463.2%★★★☆☆
200678.1525 of 347684.9%★★★★☆
200568.21086 of 347568.7%★★★☆☆
200455.01750 of 346549.5%★★☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202684.5184 of 240692.4%★★★★★
202443.81346 of 244344.9%★★☆☆☆
202361.7712 of 244370.9%★★★★☆
202259.0804 of 242166.8%★★★☆☆
202144.51249 of 244448.9%★★☆☆☆
201967.4566 of 251577.5%★★★★☆
201854.9933 of 248362.4%★★★☆☆

At Risk

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202256.71630 of 446163.5%★★★☆☆
202134.13054 of 433129.5%★☆☆☆☆
201961.31254 of 429570.8%★★★★☆
201862.01196 of 424071.8%★★★★☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202681.4179 of 164389.1%★★★★☆
202443.71988 of 366845.8%★★☆☆☆
202337.92372 of 355633.3%★★☆☆☆
202240.62194 of 348737.1%★★☆☆☆
202130.52633 of 344623.6%★☆☆☆☆
201949.31603 of 333351.9%★★★☆☆
201851.61411 of 322656.3%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202651.91978 of 457556.8%★★★☆☆
202434.13225 of 465830.8%★★☆☆☆
202332.03272 of 458828.7%★☆☆☆☆
202231.83309 of 456127.5%★☆☆☆☆
202122.23731 of 449917.1%★☆☆☆☆
201945.32335 of 434846.3%★★☆☆☆
201842.92443 of 430643.3%★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202652.91874 of 307539.1%★★☆☆☆
202330.92526 of 298015.2%★☆☆☆☆
202232.82422 of 295818.1%★☆☆☆☆
202112.12796 of 30067.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201935.72514 of 318421.0%★☆☆☆☆
201839.62330 of 310625.0%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202661.91351 of 441369.4%★★★☆☆
202443.12567 of 446542.5%★★☆☆☆
202335.93026 of 440131.2%★★☆☆☆
202237.62911 of 437633.5%★★☆☆☆
202125.83521 of 432918.7%★☆☆☆☆
201949.72018 of 418851.8%★★★☆☆
201852.11819 of 416856.4%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202671.9803 of 452082.2%★★★★☆
202451.22116 of 459453.9%★★★☆☆
202343.32652 of 452141.3%★★☆☆☆
202246.42401 of 447746.4%★★☆☆☆
202130.63337 of 445125.0%★☆☆☆☆
201959.61378 of 430968.0%★★★☆☆
201859.91386 of 426467.5%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202659.81560 of 458266.0%★★★☆☆
202438.52915 of 464737.3%★★☆☆☆
202328.83490 of 458523.9%★☆☆☆☆
202231.63304 of 456327.6%★☆☆☆☆
202122.03736 of 449816.9%★☆☆☆☆
201941.22584 of 435740.7%★★☆☆☆
201846.72170 of 431949.8%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202645.42044 of 430152.5%★★★☆☆
202456.41479 of 429265.5%★★★☆☆
202340.62252 of 408644.9%★★☆☆☆
202230.92960 of 395225.1%★☆☆☆☆
202120.63531 of 37997.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201943.41842 of 368450.0%★★★☆☆
201827.92853 of 355819.8%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202658.11238 of 300658.8%★★★☆☆
20239.03007 of 31063.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202237.62137 of 308230.7%★★☆☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202675.6398 of 233583.0%★★★★☆
202567.4588 of 234474.9%★★★★☆
202438.71447 of 237239.0%★★☆☆☆
202336.61518 of 233034.8%★★☆☆☆
202243.11227 of 225445.6%★★☆☆☆
202135.61426 of 225236.7%★★☆☆☆
201954.8841 of 219361.7%★★★☆☆
201853.0849 of 208059.2%★★★☆☆
201742.81102 of 202745.6%★★☆☆☆
201649.61084 of 198745.4%★★☆☆☆
201554.7956 of 204353.2%★★★☆☆
201463.8685 of 198765.5%★★★☆☆
201357.2858 of 197356.5%★★★☆☆
201252.5966 of 195150.5%★★★☆☆
201165.7579 of 189569.4%★★★☆☆
201075.0246 of 180386.4%★★★★☆
200968.4470 of 176373.3%★★★★☆
200857.1796 of 171853.7%★★★☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202674.6224 of 129582.7%★★★★☆
202429.9969 of 128024.3%★☆☆☆☆
202340.9695 of 127345.4%★★☆☆☆
202233.9851 of 125132.0%★★☆☆☆
201979.7150 of 119387.4%★★★★☆
201864.6298 of 116774.5%★★★★☆

At Risk

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202257.5664 of 218269.6%★★★☆☆
202145.01039 of 211850.9%★★★☆☆
201954.1716 of 205865.2%★★★☆☆
201858.9545 of 200872.9%★★★★☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202682.897 of 139093.0%★★★★★
202452.4691 of 177061.0%★★★☆☆
202348.4775 of 172054.9%★★★☆☆
202249.7660 of 164359.8%★★★☆☆
202150.4601 of 159262.2%★★★☆☆
201951.2545 of 144562.3%★★★☆☆
201847.8543 of 137660.5%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202669.0508 of 224077.3%★★★★☆
202445.21154 of 224248.5%★★☆☆☆
202334.11550 of 224130.8%★★☆☆☆
202238.61360 of 222138.8%★★☆☆☆
202134.51431 of 215133.5%★★☆☆☆
201951.3919 of 204755.1%★★★☆☆
201849.2962 of 200852.1%★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202663.0608 of 149759.4%★★★☆☆
202354.9852 of 148142.5%★★☆☆☆
202241.11069 of 148828.2%★☆☆☆☆
202119.71295 of 150113.7%★☆☆☆☆
201952.9857 of 144640.7%★★☆☆☆
201853.7798 of 143044.2%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202682.6207 of 214190.3%★★★★★
202448.9960 of 211954.7%★★★☆☆
202346.81053 of 211650.2%★★★☆☆
202250.7896 of 207756.9%★★★☆☆
202143.71094 of 204346.5%★★☆☆☆
201961.2576 of 193570.2%★★★★☆
201858.6594 of 189568.7%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202688.796 of 225395.7%★★★★★
202452.3918 of 223558.9%★★★☆☆
202353.4909 of 225159.6%★★★☆☆
202260.6630 of 222071.6%★★★★☆
202151.4919 of 217257.7%★★★☆☆
201969.3401 of 207380.7%★★★★☆
201868.0412 of 203979.8%★★★★☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202680.0318 of 225385.9%★★★★☆
202432.11571 of 224630.1%★★☆☆☆
202339.01357 of 224539.6%★★☆☆☆
202246.71096 of 222850.8%★★★☆☆
202138.71282 of 216840.9%★★☆☆☆
201956.5744 of 206964.0%★★★☆☆
201856.7724 of 203064.3%★★★☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202686.0100 of 195694.9%★★★★★
202434.51325 of 189129.9%★☆☆☆☆
202334.71216 of 181533.0%★★☆☆☆
202247.6713 of 175759.4%★★★☆☆
202122.81592 of 17127.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201917.81584 of 16262.6%☆☆☆☆☆
201850.0563 of 159764.7%★★★☆☆
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)
Elementary school
African American (2026)92nd percentile+31 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)89th percentile+28 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)82nd percentile+21 vs school
Hispanic (2026)69th percentile+8 vs school
Male (2026)66th percentile+5 vs school
At Risk (2022)63rd percentile+36 vs school
White (2026)59th percentile-3 vs school
Female (2026)57th percentile-5 vs school
Special Education (2026)52nd percentile-9 vs school
Gifted and Talented (2026)39th percentile-22 vs school
Middle school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)96th percentile+13 vs school
Special Education (2026)95th percentile+12 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)93rd percentile+10 vs school
Hispanic (2026)90th percentile+7 vs school
Male (2026)86th percentile+3 vs school
African American (2026)83rd percentile~ school
Female (2026)77th percentile-6 vs school
At Risk (2022)70th percentile+24 vs school
Gifted and Talented (2026)59th percentile-24 vs school
By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?
Algebra I73%+19 vs state
Mathematics56%+13 vs state
Reading55%~ state avg
Social Studies47%+16 vs state

2.0
3 ratings · 3 written reviews
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What people are saying
by a student
Monday, June 9, 2014

Open Quote The school had horrible facilities, nasty lunches, rude and disrespectful teachers, and treated the students like three year olds! The teachers would eat in class while watching a movie, and the students would just work on a packet. Some of the teachers don't even speak english! I am fairly disappointed I had to spend 5 years in this school. Moving here was a huge regret. Close Quote


by a citizen
Saturday, September 12, 2009

Open Quote Pilgrim Academy does not have professional teachers. Last school year almost all middle school teachers were new and had no experience on teaching. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, June 1, 2009

Open Quote This school offers some of the best educational experiences that a child would ever want or need. They get many opportunities to excel themselves with such caring and professional teachers. Close Quote





Schools Near Pilgrim Academy

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pilgrim Academy

Students who attend Pilgrim Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Tanglewood Middle
High : Wisdom High School

Students at Pilgrim Academy are 93% Hispanic, 4% African American, 2% White.

Pilgrim Academy ranks 1786th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,233 students attended Pilgrim Academy.


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Latest Texas data All new data »
2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026
2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026
2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025
2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025


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.





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