Summary:
This analysis examines 12 elementary schools in the 78207 zip code of San Antonio, Texas, serving grades Pre-K through 5th (with two extending to 8th grade), within a community facing significant socioeconomic challenges, as nearly all schools report high rates of student poverty.
The standout school in this area is Irving Dual Language Academy, which ranks in the 72nd percentile statewide and achieves proficiency rates far above district and state averages, including an 84.62% pass rate in 8th-grade Reading and a 96.15% Algebra I pass rate. In stark contrast, Carvajal Elementary and Ogden Elementary are the most challenged, ranking in the 0th and 4th percentiles respectively, with critically low proficiency rates like 11.11% in 3rd-grade Reading at Carvajal. Rodriguez Montessori Elementary offers a unique model with some strengths in 6th-grade Reading (66.67% proficient) but very inconsistent math scores. The two schools with the lowest poverty rates—Promesa Academy Charter School (59.68% free/reduced lunch) and Rodriguez Montessori (58.54%)—still perform below state averages, showing that demographics alone do not determine success.
Key metrics reveal an average free/reduced lunch rate of 89.5% across the area, with Sarah S King Elementary and J T Brackenridge Elementary exceeding 98%. Per-student spending varies widely, from $11,193 at Ogden to $20,149 at Rodriguez, with El Daep as an extreme outlier at $87,276 due to its specialized program for only 7 students. The average statewide rank for the 11 non-El Daep schools is just the 12.5th percentile, but Irving’s success proves that effective models like dual language can overcome poverty. Additionally, schools like De Zavala Elementary show that students taking Spanish-language STAAR tests often outperform their English-language peers, highlighting the advantage of native-language instruction in this community.
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