Mae Smythe Elementary

Mae Smythe Elementary is a PK-4 school in the Pasadena Independent School District (Isd) serving 710 students in a high-poverty area, where about 89% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has faced significant academic challenges, ranking in the 11th percentile statewide in the most recent data—its lowest point in years and a steep drop from the 33rd percentile the year before. This places it well behind nearby schools like Sparks Elementary (75th percentile) and L F Smith Elementary (53rd percentile), which have shown more stable or improving performance.

Mathematics is a critical weakness: only 17.5% of 3rd graders and 32.1% of 4th graders were proficient in math, far below district and state averages. In contrast, reading scores are relatively stronger, with 39.5% of 3rd graders proficient, suggesting the school’s literacy instruction may be more effective than its math curriculum. An interesting bright spot is the school’s bilingual program—students taking Spanish-language STAAR tests often scored higher than those taking English tests, sometimes exceeding district and state averages. However, the school struggles to serve both its highest and lowest-performing students, with Special Education and Gifted & Talented students both ranking in the 2nd percentile statewide.

Per-student spending at Mae Smythe ($10,711) is notably lower than at higher-performing nearby schools like Parks Elementary ($12,910) and Sparks Elementary ($14,201), raising questions about whether the school is underfunded relative to its high-poverty needs. The school’s ranking has been volatile over the past decade, bouncing between the 10th and 42nd percentiles, with the most recent single-year drop being the sharpest. For parents, the key takeaway is that Mae Smythe faces urgent challenges, particularly in math, and is being outperformed by nearly every other elementary school in its immediate vicinity.