Bell Elementary

Summary:

Bell Elementary is a public magnet elementary school in Houston, Texas, serving 548 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Houston Independent School District, which has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Bell Elementary faces significant challenges. The school's performance on STAAR tests is generally below the district and state averages, with the largest gaps in 3rd and 4th grade Reading and 3rd grade Mathematics. Bell Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Texas elementary schools, with a 1 or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade. The school's performance is particularly low for students with special education needs and gifted and talented students, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Texas elementary schools for those subgroups.

Interestingly, nearby schools like Valley West Elementary, Milne Elementary, and Gross Elementary have similar demographic profiles and academic performance to Bell Elementary. However, some nearby charter schools, such as Arrow Academy - Liberation Academy and KIPP Shine Prep, have significantly higher academic performance, ranking in the top 30-40% of Texas elementary schools. Despite having a relatively high per-student spending level and a low student-teacher ratio, Bell Elementary's academic outcomes remain below average, suggesting that factors beyond just funding and staffing may be contributing to the school's challenges.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 12323 Shaftsbury Dr
       Houston, TX  77031-3123


(281) 983-2800

District: Houston Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
3309th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,435 Help


Students who attend Bell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Welch Middle
High:    Westbury High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.1 Help
Number of students:  548

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
69.0%
African American:
24.8%
White:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  93.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Bell Elementary ranks worse than 70.8% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 110th among 170 ranked elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.12. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (69%), African American (24.8%), White (3.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 93.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bell Elementary is 16.1, which is the 61st best among 170 elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Bell Elementary employs 33.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bell Elementary is $11,435, which is the 35th highest among 170 elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District (Isd).
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Houston Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Houston Independent School District (Isd) 572nd of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bell Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 27.53 2954th 3465 14.7%
2005 30.60 2844th 3475 18.2%
2006 32.27 2759th 3476 20.6%
2007 45.27 2443rd 3724 34.4%
2008 55.29 1922nd 3768 49.0%
2009 50.97 2192nd 3884 43.6%
2010 48.80 2393rd 3937 39.2%
2011 52.73 2248th 4095 45.1%
2012 60.67 1659th 4206 60.6%
2013 61.44 1645th 4221 61.0%
2014 55.08 2041st 4260 52.1%
2015 48.79 2400th 4320 44.4%
2016 56.33 1994th 4286 53.5%
2017 44.20 2276th 4329 47.4%
2018 35.65 2825th 4359 35.2%
2019 35.04 3022nd 4479 32.5%
2021 17.48 4047th 4578 11.6%
2022 41.34 2660th 4581 41.9%
2023 25.68 3646th 4647 21.5%
2024 32.12 3309th 4675 29.2%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.47 2402nd 3226 25.5%
2019 34.68 2416th 3333 27.5%
2021 28.40 2750th 3446 20.2%
2022 50.92 1593rd 3487 54.3%
2023 43.67 2035th 3556 42.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.85 2734th 3558 23.2%
2019 39.09 2128th 3684 42.2%
2021 28.21 2954th 3799 22.2%
2022 20.07 3675th 3952 7.0%
2023 13.95 4018th 4086 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.57 2259th 4264 47.0%
2019 47.68 2231st 4309 48.2%
2021 22.71 3869th 4451 13.1%
2022 47.42 2327th 4477 48.0%
2023 35.03 3219th 4521 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.44 2596th 4306 39.7%
2019 36.66 2898th 4348 33.3%
2021 21.78 3766th 4499 16.3%
2022 46.54 2365th 4561 48.1%
2023 22.50 3903rd 4588 14.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.96 2808th 3106 9.6%
2019 33.85 2573rd 3184 19.2%
2021 2.09 2989th 3006 0.6%
2022 13.24 2824th 2958 4.5%
2023 5.86 2915th 2980 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.50 2536th 4240 40.2%
2019 37.38 2868th 4295 33.2%
2021 31.51 3248th 4331 25.0%
2022 55.24 1742nd 4461 61.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.15 3233rd 4319 25.1%
2019 34.93 3005th 4357 31.0%
2021 16.35 4103rd 4498 8.8%
2022 37.45 2895th 4563 36.6%
2023 31.12 3324th 4585 27.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.67 752nd 2483 69.7%
2019 57.65 859th 2515 65.8%
2021 46.72 1158th 2444 52.6%
2022 66.13 580th 2421 76.0%
2023 34.15 1687th 2443 30.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.97 2654th 4168 36.3%
2019 38.00 2767th 4188 33.9%
2021 17.12 4052nd 4329 6.4%
2022 44.46 2485th 4376 43.2%
2023 36.21 3003rd 4401 31.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.10 1177th 3127 62.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White 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.

Bell 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 Bell Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 339 198 54 59 n/a n/a n/a 0 650
1989 300 216 48 81 1 n/a n/a 0 646
1990 229 223 42 103 1 n/a n/a 0 598
1991 228 263 47 102 1 n/a n/a 0 641
1992 201 263 43 147 0 n/a n/a 0 654
1993 198 263 58 171 0 n/a n/a 0 690
1994 178 322 62 194 0 n/a n/a 0 756
1995 173 358 79 245 1 n/a n/a 0 856
1996 173 358 79 245 1 n/a n/a 0 856
1997 130 419 99 277 2 n/a n/a 0 927
1998 117 469 96 290 2 n/a n/a 0 974
1999 92 485 102 288 2 n/a n/a 0 969
2000 71 506 114 322 0 n/a n/a 0 1013
2001 59 524 105 316 0 n/a n/a 0 1004
2002 27 410 65 355 0 n/a n/a 0 857
2003 27 410 65 355 0 n/a n/a 0 857
2004 21 364 60 333 0 n/a n/a 0 778
2005 13 367 49 341 0 n/a n/a 0 770
2006 14 377 26 318 1 n/a n/a 0 736
2007 15 388 27 303 0 n/a n/a 0 733
2008 18 399 27 352 0 n/a n/a 0 796
2009 23 363 21 365 0 n/a n/a 0 772
2010 14 375 19 393 0 n/a n/a 0 801
2011 14 353 27 378 0 0 6 0 778
2012 19 326 33 376 0 2 7 0 763
2013 24 314 29 406 1 0 5 0 779
2014 26 296 19 460 0 0 12 0 813
2015 22 270 20 509 0 0 6 0 827
2016 27 238 17 492 1 0 4 0 779
2017 22 229 19 479 0 0 10 0 759
2018 24 200 11 490 1 0 8 0 734
2019 22 184 14 478 2 0 7 0 707
2020 22 194 9 484 3 0 7 0 719
2021 18 171 8 407 2 0 7 0 613
2022 20 156 8 393 1 0 7 0 585
2023 18 136 12 378 1 0 3 0 548

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 Bell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 650 40.0 16.2 n/a
1989 646 n/a n/a n/a
1990 598 64.0 9.3 n/a
1991 641 63.7 10.0 n/a
1992 654 43.0 15.2 33.8
1993 690 43.0 16.0 40.9
1994 756 46.5 16.3 41.8
1995 856 51.6 16.6 46.1
1996 856 51.6 16.6 46.1
1997 927 50.8 18.2 49.2
1998 974 54.4 17.9 49.5
1999 969 54.4 17.8 63.2
2000 1013 54.4 18.6 59.6
2001 1004 54.0 18.6 64.5
2002 857 54.0 15.9 68.8
2003 857 54.0 15.9 68.8
2004 778 52.0 15.0 71.5
2005 770 52.5 14.7 69.7
2006 736 52.5 14.0 79.3
2007 733 50.5 14.5 62.6
2008 796 50.5 15.8 66.5
2009 772 50.0 15.4 63
2010 801 52.4 15.2 61.5
2011 778 51.4 15.1 56.4
2012 763 48.0 15.8 52.9
2013 779 47.0 16.5 85
2014 813 48.0 16.9 86.5
2015 827 51.0 16.2 85.6
2016 779 51.0 15.2 87.5
2017 759 46.3 16.3 88.3
2018 734 45.0 16.3 88.3
2019 707 43.0 16.4 84.4
2020 719 43.0 16.7 87.1
2021 613 40.9 14.9 88.4
2022 585 36.5 15.9 90.3
2023 548 33.8 16.1 93.1

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 Bell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 650 40.0 16.2 n/a
1989 646 n/a n/a n/a
1990 598 64.0 9.3 n/a
1991 641 63.7 10.0 n/a
1992 654 43.0 15.2 33.8
1993 690 43.0 16.0 40.9
1994 756 46.5 16.3 41.8
1995 856 51.6 16.6 46.1
1996 856 51.6 16.6 46.1
1997 927 50.8 18.2 49.2
1998 974 54.4 17.9 49.5
1999 969 54.4 17.8 63.2
2000 1013 54.4 18.6 59.6
2001 1004 54.0 18.6 64.5
2002 857 54.0 15.9 68.8
2003 857 54.0 15.9 68.8
2004 778 52.0 15.0 71.5
2005 770 52.5 14.7 69.7
2006 736 52.5 14.0 79.3
2007 733 50.5 14.5 62.6
2008 796 50.5 15.8 66.5
2009 772 50.0 15.4 63
2010 801 52.4 15.2 61.5
2011 778 51.4 15.1 56.4
2012 763 48.0 15.8 52.9
2013 779 47.0 16.5 85
2014 813 48.0 16.9 86.5
2015 827 51.0 16.2 85.6
2016 779 51.0 15.2 87.5
2017 759 46.3 16.3 88.3
2018 734 45.0 16.3 88.3
2019 707 43.0 16.4 84.4
2020 719 43.0 16.7 87.1
2021 613 40.9 14.9 88.4
2022 585 36.5 15.9 90.3
2023 548 33.8 16.1 93.1

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 Bell Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,423 (15.1%) $7,975 (84.9%) $9,397
2020 $1,518 (14.7%) $8,833 (85.3%) $10,351
2021 $1,180 (10.3%) $10,254 (89.7%) $11,435

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bell 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 3022nd of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 3646th of 4647 Elementary schools
 11%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)2037
 17%
   3rd Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3946
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)3536
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4541
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
3rd Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)2317
 6%
   3rd Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3926
 13%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)3926
 13%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)711
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3528
 7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)3123
 8%
4th Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)2929
   4th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3840
 2%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)4944
 5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4443
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
4th Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)135
 8%
   4th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))2824
 4%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)2931
 2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)1520
 5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))3528
 7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)2622
 4%
5th Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)3933
 6%
   5th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4449
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)7027
 43%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))5344
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Bell Elementary)199
 10%
   5th Grade Science (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4027
 13%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%
5th Grade Reading (Bell Elementary)1542
 27%
   5th Grade Reading (Houston Independent School District (Isd))4125
 16%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5333
 20%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary)388
 30%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Houston Independent School District (Isd))1927
 8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)2823
 5%
5th Grade Science (Bell Elementary)00
   5th Grade Science (Houston Independent School District (Isd))45
 1%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)189
 9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students707548
 22.5%
African American184136
 26.1%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian1412
 14.3%
Hispanic478378
 20.9%
Pacific Islander00
White2218
 18.2%
Two or More Races73
 57.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients84.4%93.1%
 8.6%


Schools Near Bell Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Bell Elementary

Bell Elementary ranks 3309th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 548 students attended Bell Elementary.

Students at Bell Elementary are 69% Hispanic, 25% African American, 3% White, 2% Asian.

Students who attend Bell Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Welch Middle
High : Westbury High School


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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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