News Summary
The latest rankings from Children at Risk show that charter schools in Houston have outperformed traditional public schools at middle and high school levels in the 2023-2024 academic year. Despite this success, charter elementary schools lag behind by 16 points. The report highlights both improvements and declines across various school districts, raising questions about educational effectiveness and offering insights for future policy decisions.
Houston
The latest rankings from Children at Risk indicate that charter schools in the Houston area have significantly outperformed traditional public schools at both the middle and high school levels during the 2023-2024 academic year. On average, charter schools scored nine points higher than their traditional public counterparts at the middle school level and 12 points higher at the high school level, demonstrating a marked achievement in educational outcomes.
Despite this positive performance at the secondary education level, charter elementary schools scored an average of 16 points lower than traditional elementary schools. This disparity raises questions about the effectiveness of charter school models at the foundational grade levels compared to traditional public education.
Ranking Methodology and Results
The rankings, published by the non-profit organization Children at Risk, which has been evaluating Texas public schools for nearly two decades, assess student performance based on state-mandated math and reading tests, as well as high school achievement data. The 2024 rankings reflect data collected during the 2023-2024 academic year.
For elementary and middle schools, rankings are determined using three critical metrics: raw student achievement, performance of students from low-income backgrounds, and year-over-year student growth. High schools have an additional metric that evaluates college readiness, providing a comprehensive look at students’ preparedness for post-secondary education.
Overall Trends in Houston School Districts
The recent Children at Risk report also noted an overall decline in average scores across Houston districts, dropping from 46.6 to 45.5 compared to the previous year. From the 92 districts assessed, 44 districts saw improvements in their average scores, while 38 experienced declines; 10 districts did not have previous year data available for comparison.
Notably, four districts—Tarkington, Cleveland, High Island, and East Chambers ISDs—were excluded from this year’s assessments, potentially influencing average state performance metrics.
Performance Improvements and Declines
Despite the overall decline, there have been significant improvements in individual campus scores within certain school systems. More than 80% of campuses from YES Prep Public Schools and around 70% of Spring Branch ISD campuses witnessed score increases compared to last year. This indicates that some charter school operators are successfully enhancing academic outcomes despite the challenges faced at the elementary level.
Conversely, performance declines were evident in several districts. For instance, in Deer Park ISD, 82% of schools reported score drops, while 72% of New Caney ISD schools also saw comparable reductions in performance. Additional districts where over half of the campuses experienced declines included Goose Creek ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks, and Harmony Public Schools – Houston North.
Expansions and New Evaluations
The 2024 rankings included more charter campuses due to prior geographic data constraints, thereby expanding the evaluation framework. Moreover, the rankings introduced 10 new districts for assessment, providing a broader overview of educational performance across the region and offering valuable insights into the shifts in school effectiveness year over year.
The information gathered through these evaluations is crucial in shaping educational policies and resource allocation as stakeholders strive to improve academic performance and overall outcomes for students in both charter and traditional public schools in the Houston area.
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Additional Resources
- Houston Chronicle: Houston Charter Schools Ranked
- Houston Chronicle: Charter School Children at Risk Ranking
- Caller Times: Texas School Performance Data
- KHOU: Mike Miles Charter Schools Investigation
- Wikipedia: Charter School
Author: STAFF HERE HOUSTON TX WRITER
HOUSTON STAFF WRITER The HOUSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREHouston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Houston, Harris County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Art Car Parade, and Chevron Houston Marathon. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Houston Partnership and Houston Area Urban League, plus leading businesses in energy and healthcare that power the local economy such as ExxonMobil, Schlumberger, and Houston Methodist. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREDallas.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
