Summary:
Zip code 77073 in Houston, Texas, is home to two elementary schools serving grades PK-5, where a high percentage of students (over 83%) come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, but academic outcomes vary significantly between the two campuses.
Milton Cooper Elementary in Spring Independent School District (Isd) is the standout school in the area, showing a strong upward trajectory from the 32nd percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 54th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. In contrast, Dunn Elementary in Aldine Independent School District (Isd) has declined from the 3rd percentile to the 12th percentile over the same period. Cooper Elementary dramatically outperforms its district average in nearly every subject, while Dunn Elementary often underperforms its own district average. The most striking gap appears in 5th grade, where Cooper's students scored 25-27 percentage points higher in reading and math than Dunn's students in the 2025-2026 school year.
A key paradox is that Dunn Elementary spends $1,314 more per student ($12,585 vs. $11,271) than Cooper Elementary, yet achieves significantly lower academic results, suggesting that factors like instructional quality and school leadership matter more than spending alone. Cooper Elementary is a "bright spot" within Spring ISD, meeting or exceeding state averages in several areas, while Dunn Elementary consistently falls below both district and state averages. For parents, Cooper Elementary offers a clear upward trend and stronger preparation for middle school, while Dunn Elementary may require closer attention to its declining performance and mixed results from its bilingual program.
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