The Varnett Public School, TX

Original Research by School Decision on The Varnett Public School

The Varnett Public School is a charter district serving prekindergarten through eighth grade across three campuses in Houston, with an enrollment spread broadly across early and middle grades. The student body is substantially Hispanic and Black, with a small contingent of students of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Precise counts of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and of English learners were not available in the data.

Academic performance across the district is below the midpoint for Harris County districts. On state assessments, proficiency rates in tested subjects and grades range from very low in some areas to moderate in others. In English Language Arts, third grade shows proficiency around one in five students, while proficiency climbs to roughly half by eighth grade. Math proficiency is mixed across grades, with fifth through eighth graders posting rates in the low-to-mid range; third and fourth grade results are not available or are assessed in Spanish with no students reaching proficiency. Science proficiency is notably weak, hovering around one in ten in fifth grade and roughly one in four in eighth grade. Social studies proficiency in eighth grade is very low. The district wide overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Harris County districts.

The district's state accountability rating declined sharply in recent years. It held a B rating in 2022 but dropped to a C overall for 2024-2025, with an F in the Student Achievement domain. All three campuses now carry a C rating. This represents a clear downward trend in measured academic outcomes and signals something families should explore directly with school leadership.

A meaningful recent change is the district's expansion into the middle-school grades. Historically serving pre-K through fifth grade, the district now extends through eighth grade, with the first cohort of eighth graders graduating in 2025. This allows families to keep children within the Varnett system rather than transferring them to another school at the end of elementary school, potentially creating continuity in their K-8 pathway.

The district operates with per-pupil spending in the upper range for the county, exceeding typical current expenditure levels. Chronic absenteeism runs slightly above the county median, a factor parents may want to understand more fully in the context of the measured academic decline.

Families considering The Varnett Public School should weigh the significant recent drop in accountability ratings and the soft state assessment results against the availability of a full K-8 pathway and the charter model's potential for different instructional approaches. The shift downward in performance is a tangible concern worth discussing directly with administrators before enrollment.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,142

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 72%

Black 27%

White 0%

Asian 0%

Two+ 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

—

13%

Gr 5

40%

29%

Gr 6

43%

13%

Gr 7

40%

41%

Gr 8

52%

44%

Math

Gr 3

—

27%

Gr 4

32%

Gr 5

40%

Gr 6

29%

22%

Gr 7

31%

30%

Gr 8

35%

30%

Science

Gr 5

10%

Gr 8

30%

26%

Social studies

Gr 8

13%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

26%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

35%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

10%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

23%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

13%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

18%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

VARNETT CHARTER SCHOOL

THE VARNETT SCHOOL - NORTHEAST

THE VARNETT SCHOOL - EAST

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

Grade 3

Grade 4

37%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 6

31%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

21%

Grade 3

34%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 5

37%

Grade 6

40%

Grade 7

49%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

28%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

11%

Grade 8

Data Currently Unavailable

Community & Housing Context
Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.