Houston Elementary

Summary:

Houston Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in the Austin Independent School District (ISD) in Austin, Texas. The school has a student population of 527 and a predominantly Hispanic student body, with over 90% of students identifying as Hispanic in recent years. Unfortunately, Houston Elementary has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in the state, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2023-2024 school year.

Houston Elementary significantly underperforms compared to the Austin ISD and state averages on STAAR tests across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 16% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to 55.65% for Austin ISD and 48.85% for the state. The school also has a very high percentage of students from low-income families, with over 92% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. Despite spending more per student ($14,718 in 2020-2021) and having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, these factors have not translated into improved academic outcomes.

Nearby schools within the Austin ISD, such as Perez Elementary and St Elmo Elementary, generally outperform Houston Elementary on academic measures, despite serving similar student populations. This suggests that factors beyond student demographics may be contributing to the persistent low performance at Houston Elementary. The school's rankings for English Language Learners and Special Education students are also among the lowest in the state, indicating that the school may be struggling to effectively support these student subgroups.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 5409 Ponciana Dr
       Austin, TX  78744-2838


(512) 414-2517

District: Austin Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4079th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,718 Help


Students who attend Houston Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Mendez Middle
High:    Travis Early College High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.9 Help
Number of students:  527

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
91.3%
African American:
5.1%
White:
2.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Houston Elementary ranks worse than 87.3% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 53rd among 77 ranked elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.21. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (91.3%), African American (5.1%), White (2.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 92% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Houston Elementary is 12.9, which is the 9th best among 77 elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Houston Elementary employs 40.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Houston Elementary is $14,718, which is the 9th highest among 77 elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District (Isd).
Schooldigger Rankings:

Houston Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Austin Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Austin Independent School District (Isd) 554th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Houston Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 16.39 3254th 3465 6.1%
2005 25.94 2983rd 3475 14.2%
2006 14.63 3295th 3476 5.2%
2007 4.57 3690th 3724 0.9%
2008 22.89 3348th 3768 11.1%
2009 12.37 3727th 3884 4.0%
2010 35.95 3018th 3937 23.3%
2011 24.73 3600th 4095 12.1%
2012 30.39 3412th 4206 18.9%
2013 18.33 3857th 4221 8.6%
2014 29.27 3437th 4260 19.3%
2015 17.32 3869th 4320 10.4%
2016 27.30 3414th 4286 20.3%
2017 11.89 4136th 4329 4.5%
2018 19.31 3844th 4359 11.8%
2019 14.93 4150th 4479 7.3%
2021 7.53 4552nd 4578 0.6%
2022 14.15 4239th 4581 7.5%
2023 10.71 4443rd 4647 4.4%
2024 19.21 4079th 4675 12.7%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.09 1649th 3226 48.9%
2019 39.25 2148th 3333 35.6%
2021 11.14 3430th 3446 0.5%
2022 30.03 2771st 3487 20.5%
2023 22.82 3116th 3556 12.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.83 1907th 3558 46.4%
2019 25.74 3141st 3684 14.7%
2021 20.41 3550th 3799 6.6%
2022 15.93 3839th 3952 2.9%
2023 18.94 3830th 4086 6.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.88 3451st 4264 19.1%
2019 22.80 3851st 4309 10.6%
2021 10.46 4401st 4451 1.1%
2022 19.48 4061st 4477 9.3%
2023 14.29 4298th 4521 4.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.94 3878th 4306 9.9%
2019 16.33 4038th 4348 7.1%
2021 8.04 4475th 4499 0.5%
2022 15.78 4194th 4561 8.0%
2023 11.38 4403rd 4588 4.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.39 3037th 3106 2.2%
2019 14.87 3022nd 3184 5.1%
2022 30.62 2473rd 2958 16.4%
2023 17.84 2769th 2980 7.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.57 2341st 4240 44.8%
2019 39.06 2744th 4295 36.1%
2021 10.82 4323rd 4331 0.2%
2022 29.08 3566th 4461 20.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.41 3752nd 4319 13.1%
2019 15.94 4038th 4357 7.3%
2021 10.02 4434th 4498 1.4%
2022 17.93 4089th 4563 10.4%
2023 11.74 4363rd 4585 4.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.37 2017th 2483 18.8%
2019 20.30 2290th 2515 8.9%
2022 31.76 1806th 2421 25.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Houston Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.73 3601st 4168 13.6%
2019 18.80 3885th 4188 7.2%
2021 9.70 4304th 4329 0.6%
2022 18.11 4023rd 4376 8.1%
2023 14.92 4153rd 4401 5.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Houston Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Houston Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 212 175 13 226 3 n/a n/a 0 629
1989 203 167 11 285 1 n/a n/a 0 667
1990 172 197 11 328 1 n/a n/a 0 709
1991 143 196 6 345 1 n/a n/a 0 691
1992 147 191 7 409 1 n/a n/a 0 755
1993 123 175 5 458 4 n/a n/a 0 765
1994 94 210 9 514 1 n/a n/a 0 828
1995 74 187 7 595 2 n/a n/a 0 865
1996 74 187 7 595 2 n/a n/a 0 865
1997 57 177 7 693 3 n/a n/a 0 937
1998 74 163 5 791 2 n/a n/a 0 1035
1999 62 145 5 876 1 n/a n/a 0 1089
2000 50 114 4 713 2 n/a n/a 0 883
2001 41 79 5 688 1 n/a n/a 0 814
2002 30 69 1 749 0 n/a n/a 0 849
2003 30 69 1 749 0 n/a n/a 0 849
2004 26 64 3 776 0 n/a n/a 0 869
2005 29 63 3 761 0 n/a n/a 0 856
2006 28 106 2 760 0 n/a n/a 0 896
2007 25 80 1 836 1 n/a n/a 0 943
2008 20 65 1 822 3 n/a n/a 0 911
2009 22 45 3 871 1 n/a n/a 0 942
2010 28 52 4 873 1 n/a n/a 0 958
2011 20 35 2 853 2 1 9 0 922
2012 15 46 2 825 2 0 8 0 898
2013 15 40 1 790 2 0 9 0 857
2014 12 51 1 711 3 0 11 0 789
2015 15 49 1 694 2 0 4 0 765
2016 8 58 0 634 3 0 2 0 705
2017 8 53 0 615 1 0 3 0 680
2018 11 38 3 587 0 1 2 0 642
2019 9 37 2 531 0 0 2 0 581
2020 14 33 1 488 0 0 2 0 538
2021 9 27 0 389 0 0 2 0 427
2022 13 30 2 438 1 0 1 0 485
2023 12 27 2 481 0 0 5 0 527

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Houston Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 629 38.0 16.5 n/a
1989 667 n/a n/a n/a
1990 709 42.0 16.8 n/a
1991 691 42.0 16.4 n/a
1992 755 49.6 15.2 67.8
1993 765 51.0 15.0 85.2
1994 828 53.7 15.4 74.9
1995 865 56.9 15.2 78.4
1996 865 56.9 15.2 78.4
1997 937 56.4 16.6 83.4
1998 1035 62.7 16.5 80.9
1999 1089 69.2 15.7 86.1
2000 883 63.0 14.0 81.9
2001 814 56.1 14.5 83.8
2002 849 59.0 14.4 89.4
2003 849 59.0 14.4 89.4
2004 869 61.4 14.2 88
2005 856 60.7 14.1 74.9
2006 896 64.1 14.0 74.7
2007 943 65.3 14.4 93.8
2008 911 60.1 15.2 93.2
2009 942 60.0 15.7 94.2
2010 958 63.6 15.0 96
2011 922 62.4 14.7 95.4
2012 898 58.1 15.4 95.8
2013 857 56.0 15.2 96.4
2014 789 54.7 14.4 96.5
2015 765 52.0 14.7 97.1
2016 705 52.0 13.5 95.2
2017 680 47.1 14.4 83.1
2018 642 44.8 14.3 93.5
2019 581 43.0 13.4 94.1
2020 538 41.9 12.8 91.3
2021 427 41.7 10.2 93.4
2022 485 40.3 12.0 92.6
2023 527 40.7 12.9 92

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Houston Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 629 38.0 16.5 n/a
1989 667 n/a n/a n/a
1990 709 42.0 16.8 n/a
1991 691 42.0 16.4 n/a
1992 755 49.6 15.2 67.8
1993 765 51.0 15.0 85.2
1994 828 53.7 15.4 74.9
1995 865 56.9 15.2 78.4
1996 865 56.9 15.2 78.4
1997 937 56.4 16.6 83.4
1998 1035 62.7 16.5 80.9
1999 1089 69.2 15.7 86.1
2000 883 63.0 14.0 81.9
2001 814 56.1 14.5 83.8
2002 849 59.0 14.4 89.4
2003 849 59.0 14.4 89.4
2004 869 61.4 14.2 88
2005 856 60.7 14.1 74.9
2006 896 64.1 14.0 74.7
2007 943 65.3 14.4 93.8
2008 911 60.1 15.2 93.2
2009 942 60.0 15.7 94.2
2010 958 63.6 15.0 96
2011 922 62.4 14.7 95.4
2012 898 58.1 15.4 95.8
2013 857 56.0 15.2 96.4
2014 789 54.7 14.4 96.5
2015 765 52.0 14.7 97.1
2016 705 52.0 13.5 95.2
2017 680 47.1 14.4 83.1
2018 642 44.8 14.3 93.5
2019 581 43.0 13.4 94.1
2020 538 41.9 12.8 91.3
2021 427 41.7 10.2 93.4
2022 485 40.3 12.0 92.6
2023 527 40.7 12.9 92

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Houston Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,935 (17.0%) $9,471 (83.0%) $11,406
2020 $2,014 (17.4%) $9,574 (82.6%) $11,588
2021 $1,611 (10.9%) $13,107 (89.1%) $14,718

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Houston Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 4150th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 4443rd of 4647 Elementary schools
 3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Houston Elementary)2211
 11%
   3rd Grade Reading (Austin Independent School District (Isd))5157
 6%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston Elementary)3616
 20%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Austin Independent School District (Isd))5246
 6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
3rd Grade Reading (Houston Elementary)3814
 24%
   3rd Grade Reading (Austin Independent School District (Isd))3419
 15%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)3926
 13%
4th Grade Reading (Houston Elementary)1814
 4%
   4th Grade Reading (Austin Independent School District (Isd))5058
 8%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Houston Elementary)2130
 9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Austin Independent School District (Isd))4951
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
4th Grade Reading (Houston Elementary)238
 15%
   4th Grade Reading (Austin Independent School District (Isd))2222
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)2931
 2%
5th Grade Reading (Houston Elementary)2433
 9%
   5th Grade Reading (Austin Independent School District (Isd))5664
 8%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Houston Elementary)4528
 17%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Austin Independent School District (Isd))5853
 5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Houston Elementary)2913
 16%
   5th Grade Science (Austin Independent School District (Isd))4840
 8%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students581527
 9.3%
African American3727
 27%
American Indian00
Asian22
Hispanic531481
 9.4%
Pacific Islander00
White912
 33.3%
Two or More Races25
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients94.1%92%
 2.1%


Schools Near Houston Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Houston Elementary

Students at Houston Elementary are 91% Hispanic, 5% African American, 2% White.

Houston Elementary ranks in the bottom 12.7% of Texas elementary schools.

Students who attend Houston Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mendez Middle
High : Travis Early College High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 527 students attended Houston Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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