Summary:
Zip code 77034 in Houston, TX, is home to two middle schools, Earnesteen Milstead Middle and Fred Roberts Middle, both serving grades 5 and 6 within the Pasadena Independent School District (ISD), a district ranked in the 37th percentile statewide.
Fred Roberts Middle stands out as the stronger academic performer in this area, consistently outpacing Earnesteen Milstead Middle in Reading and Mathematics across recent school years. For instance, in the 2025-2026 school year, 47.2% of Fred Roberts' 6th graders were proficient in Reading compared to 33% at Milstead. However, Milstead shows a unique bright spot in 6th Grade Math, where it outperforms Roberts (33.11% vs. 27.36%). Both schools serve high-needs populations, with Milstead having a higher percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (85.8%) compared to Roberts (75.46%). Notably, Milstead has a significant number of students taking the STAAR in Spanish, indicating a larger English Language Learner population, while Roberts has zero Spanish test proficiency. Despite nearly identical per-student spending (~$11,650) and student-teacher ratios (~12.5:1), the performance gap is likely influenced by these differing student demographics.
Both schools face significant challenges, as they are well below state averages in almost every subject. For example, in 5th Grade Reading, the state average is 58.47%, while Milstead is at 33.76% and Roberts at 39.53%. This systemic gap highlights the broader difficulties within the district and zip code, tied to high poverty rates. For parents, Fred Roberts Middle offers stronger overall test scores, while Earnesteen Milstead Middle provides specialized support for Spanish-speaking students and a notable strength in 6th-grade math instruction.
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