Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in San Antonio, Texas (zip code 78217), all part of the North East Independent School District (Isd), serving grades PK through 5 with a high level of economic disadvantage, as over 83% of students on average qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Among these schools, Oak Grove Elementary stands out as the highest performer, holding the top state ranking in the zip code and excelling with its Spanish-language STAAR program, where 3rd graders achieved 62% proficiency in Reading and 57% in Math—far exceeding state averages. In contrast, Serna Elementary faces the most consistent challenges, ranking in the lowest percentiles (4th to 10th) and showing critical weaknesses, such as only 6% of 4th graders proficient in Math. Regency Place Elementary is the most improved, jumping from the 16th to the 40th percentile in one year, while Northern Hills Elementary and Clear Spring Elementary fall in the middle range, with Northern Hills having the largest enrollment at 501 students.
A key finding is the "spending paradox": Serna spends the most per student ($14,457) and has the smallest class sizes (9.3:1 ratio), yet performs the worst, suggesting funds may go toward intensive interventions rather than guaranteed results. Additionally, 5th Grade Science is a universal weakness across all schools, with scores well below the state average. Overall, while the zip code faces high poverty, school-level factors like Oak Grove's bilingual program and Regency Place's turnaround show that targeted strategies can drive success, making these schools a study in contrasts within the same district.
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