Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools in Houston, Texas, zip code 77025, all part of the Houston Independent School District (Isd), serving grades PK-5 (with one exception) and showcasing a wide range of academic performance and socioeconomic demographics.
Twain Elementary is the clear standout, consistently earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 93rd percentile or higher statewide, with a very low free/reduced lunch rate of 19.26%. In contrast, Shearn Elementary has shown a dramatic turnaround, jumping from the bottom 5% to the 51st percentile in a single year, though it still faces challenges with a 95.32% poverty rate. Rice School /La Escuela Rice is unique as a K-8 magnet school with a dual-language program, performing in the 70th percentile overall but revealing a significant "math cliff" where only 16.42% of 8th graders are proficient in math compared to the district average of 47.27%. Longfellow Elementary sits in the middle with a 66th percentile ranking and an 85.59% poverty rate.
A key takeaway is the strong correlation between socioeconomic status and academic performance across these schools, with higher poverty rates generally aligning with lower test scores and rankings. Additionally, Rice School’s middle school math struggles contrast sharply with its success in accelerating top students, as 100% of its Algebra I EOC test-takers were proficient. Shearn’s improvement is notable but uneven, with 5th-grade math and reading scores still lagging behind district averages. Overall, this zip code offers a diverse educational landscape where parents can find high-performing options like Twain, a rapidly improving school like Shearn, or a unique K-8 magnet at Rice, each with distinct strengths and challenges.
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