Hollibrook Elementary

Hollibrook Elementary in Houston, TX, is a PK-5 campus in the Spring Branch Independent School District (Isd) serving 636 students in a high-poverty area, where over 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This school has undergone a remarkable turnaround from ranking in the bottom 5% of Texas elementary schools in 2016 to its current 42nd percentile (2 stars) for the 2025-2026 school year, showing that sustained effort is yielding results.

Hollibrook's greatest strength is its exceptional effectiveness with English Language Learners (ELL), ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide for serving this group—a standout compared to nearby high-poverty schools like Buffalo Creek Elementary (8th percentile overall) and Ridgecrest Elementary (31st percentile). It also ranks in the 65th percentile for serving low-income students, outperforming demographically similar neighbors like Edgewood Elementary (33rd percentile overall). However, the school shows a "two-speed" pattern: 5th graders perform at or above state averages in Reading (60.4%) and Math (53.9%), while 3rd and 4th-grade scores lag behind. A persistent gender gap exists, with female students ranking in the 47th percentile versus males at the 34th percentile.

Despite its progress, Hollibrook faces challenges. Science proficiency is low (25.3% of 5th graders proficient vs. 37.3% district), and students taking the STAAR Spanish assessment struggle significantly. The school's performance with Gifted and Talented students has dropped to the 14th percentile, suggesting a need to better support high achievers. Interestingly, Hollibrook's per-student spending ($11,054) is higher than that of nearby Valley Oaks Elementary ($10,162), a 5-star school with only 9% low-income students, highlighting that funding alone doesn't solve the challenges of concentrated poverty. Overall, Hollibrook is a school on the rise, particularly effective with its core ELL and low-income populations, but with clear areas for targeted improvement.