W M Pearce Pri

W M Pearce Pri is an elementary school in San Antonio, TX, serving 529 students in grades 1-5 as part of the Southside Independent School District (Isd), where over 84% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This school has achieved a remarkable turnaround over the past decade, climbing from the bottom 4% of Texas elementary schools in 2019 to the 51st percentile in 2026—a dramatic improvement that sets it apart from nearby schools like Heritage Elementary, which has consistently ranked higher but lacks this inspiring growth story.

The school’s standout strength is its exceptional bilingual program, which consistently outperforms both the district and state averages on the Spanish-language STAAR test. For example, in 3rd-grade math, W M Pearce Pri achieved a 64.52% proficiency rate compared to the state’s 27.95%. This “bilingual advantage” is a core asset, especially since the school ranks in the top 10% of Texas schools for English Language Learner effectiveness—a stark contrast to nearby schools like Freedom Elementary, which don’t show similar subgroup performance. Additionally, the school excels in upper elementary math, with 5th graders scoring 58.33% proficiency in 2026, outpacing both the district (49.35%) and the state (47.38%), and even beating Heritage Elementary in that subject.

While math and bilingual instruction are clear strengths, English reading proficiency remains a key area for growth, particularly in 3rd grade where scores have hovered in the low-to-mid 30% range, below the state average. The school’s per-student spending (~$11,994) and student-teacher ratio (17.2:1) are similar to other schools in the district, like Julian C Gallardo Elementary, suggesting that its success stems from effective instructional strategies rather than extra resources. For parents, W M Pearce Pri offers a compelling choice with a proven track record of lifting student performance, especially for English learners and in math, making it a school on the rise in the Southside community.