Colonial Hills Elementary

Colonial Hills Elementary is a PK-5 school in San Antonio, TX, serving 565 students within the North East Independent School District (Isd), and it faces significant academic challenges that are closely tied to a high level of economic disadvantage among its student body.

Compared to nearby schools in the same district, Colonial Hills shows a stark achievement gap. For example, in 2025-2026, only about 22% of its 3rd graders were proficient in reading, while Castle Hills Elementary achieved 75% proficiency and Olmos Elementary reached nearly 49%. Similarly, 4th-grade math proficiency at Colonial Hills was just under 17%, compared to over 64% at Castle Hills. The school’s overall state ranking places it in the bottom 10% of Texas elementary schools, and it has earned a 0-star rating. However, there is a notable bright spot: Colonial Hills consistently outperforms both the district and state averages on Spanish-language STAAR tests, suggesting its bilingual program is a relative strength. Additionally, 5th-grade English reading scores have shown a positive upward trend, rising from 33% proficiency in 2022-2023 to nearly 49% in 2025-2026.

Despite spending a comparable amount per student ($11,373) and maintaining a favorable student-teacher ratio (12.3:1) similar to higher-performing peers like Castle Hills, the school struggles to overcome the systemic barriers associated with high poverty. Over 89% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate far higher than Castle Hills (38%). While the school’s performance for English Language Learners has improved significantly—moving from the 6th to the 29th percentile in state rankings—it continues to face critical challenges in serving other subgroups, particularly its White and low-SES students. For parents, Colonial Hills offers a dedicated bilingual program and some signs of progress in upper grades, but it remains a school where academic outcomes are deeply impacted by economic factors.