Summary
Houston High School in San Antonio, TX, is a large traditional high school serving 800 students in grades 9-12 within the San Antonio Independent School District (Isd), where over 95% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The school has historically ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Texas high schools, though it has shown a slight upward trend from the 7th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 17th percentile in 2025-2026. Despite this progress, proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra I (28.6%) and English I (26.2%) remain roughly half the state average, and the graduation rate has fluctuated between 61% and 73% over the past five years, with a dropout rate consistently double or triple the district average.
One notable strength is the school's performance with Special Education students, who ranked in the 55th percentile statewide in 2024-2025—a bright spot that contrasts sharply with overall results. U.S. History is another relative strong suit, with 59.3% of students proficient in 2025-2026, nearly matching the district average. However, comparisons with nearby schools highlight significant challenges. For instance, Idea Najim College Preparatory, just 0.72 miles away, outperforms Houston High in English I (33.8% vs. 26.2%) and English II (51.5% vs. 29.6%), despite serving a similarly high-need population. Meanwhile, St Philip's College Early College High School, only 3.36 miles away, is a top-5% school with near-perfect test scores and a 93.8% graduation rate, illustrating how specialized academic models can yield vastly different outcomes even within the same district.
Interestingly, Houston High spends over $14,600 per student—more than high-performing peers like St. Philip's ($10,261) and Karen Wagner High School ($8,813)—suggesting that funding alone isn't the issue. Instead, the school's struggles likely stem from how resources are allocated and the effectiveness of instructional programs. For parents, this means Houston High offers a traditional setting with some emerging strengths, particularly for Special Education students, but faces persistent academic and retention challenges that families should weigh carefully against nearby alternatives.
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