Summary:
Zip code 78256 in San Antonio, Texas, is home to two elementary schools, Ellison Elementary and May Elementary, both serving grades PK through 5 within the Northside Independent School District (ISD), a district ranked in the 50th percentile statewide.
The standout school in this area is Ellison Elementary, which consistently ranks in the top 20% of Texas elementary schools with a 4-star rating for three consecutive years. Its students significantly outperform both district and state averages, particularly in reading, with 78.35% of 5th graders proficient in reading compared to the state average of 58.47%. In contrast, May Elementary has a 2-star rating and ranks in the 38th percentile, with test scores frequently falling below state averages. A striking paradox is that May Elementary spends $11,595 per student—$2,848 more than Ellison’s $8,747—yet achieves lower academic results. This spending gap does not translate to higher performance, highlighting that factors beyond funding, such as resource allocation or student demographics, play a critical role. Ellison also has a lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students (32.56%) compared to May (43.66%), and both schools maintain similar student-teacher ratios (14.1 and 13.4, respectively).
Key takeaways include Ellison’s consistent excellence and resilience, with a slight ranking dip in 2024-2025 before rebounding to the 83rd percentile. May Elementary shows a slight downward trend, dropping from the 44th to the 38th percentile over three years, and struggles significantly in Spanish-language STAAR tests, where it recorded 0% proficiency in 5th grade reading and math. This data underscores a wide performance gap within the same zip code and district, making Ellison a clear choice for families prioritizing high academic achievement, while May may require closer scrutiny for those seeking improvement or specific support programs.
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