Cleveland Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Cleveland Isd

Cleveland ISD is a large and rapidly expanding district in Liberty County, Texas, serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 across multiple schools. The district's defining characteristic is its recent explosive growth. Enrollment has quadrupled in recent years, driven largely by the Colony Ridge residential development, bringing the total student population to nearly twelve thousand students. This growth trajectory has created significant operational challenges that families should understand before enrolling.

The most visible effect of rapid expansion is overcrowding. The district relies heavily on portable classrooms, operates over-capacity buses, and has struggled with teacher retention and turnover that reportedly runs roughly double the state average. Class sizes are affected directly by these capacity constraints. Physically, students spend portions of their school day in temporary structures rather than permanent buildings, a reality of life in the district as it currently operates.

Attempts to build permanent facilities have stalled. Voters rejected bond proposals in both November 2021 and November 2023 that would have funded new school construction. A planned bond referendum for May 2025 was suspended after the district's bond planning firm withdrew amid trust concerns. Without successful bonding, facility expansion through the traditional district route has come to a halt. This matters for families considering whether overcrowding will persist or ease in coming years. The district has publicly stated that enrollment growth appears to be stabilizing heading into the 2025-26 school year, which could eventually provide relief to crowded campuses if that trend holds.

One consequence of the district's infrastructure challenges is the expansion of charter-school options in the area. The state approved a major authorization for International Leadership of Texas to add multiple new charter schools in the Cleveland area and surrounding districts. This gives families an alternative pathway, though it also draws students and per-pupil funding away from the traditional district.

Academic performance across Cleveland ISD is low. State testing data from 2024-25 shows proficiency rates well below state and county averages. In English language arts across tested grades, proficiency ranges from around nine percent in grade 3 to twenty-eight percent in grade 8, with most grades falling in the low-to-mid-twenties. Math proficiency is even more challenged, ranging from three percent in grade 3 Spanish STAAR to twenty-three percent in grade 4, with most grades in the single digits to low teens. Science and social studies proficiency also remains low, in the single digits to low twenties. The district's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Liberty County's six districts.

Chronic absenteeism is a serious issue as well. The district's chronic absenteeism rate is substantially higher than other districts in the county, at a level far above the county median. This suggests that attendance and engagement are barriers to learning across the system.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the broader demographics of the area and the newer residential communities feeding the district. The district serves a diverse population across its grade band from pre-K through 12, with elementary schools feeding into middle schools and then high school. The district operates an alternative discipline program and a learning academy alongside its traditional campuses.

Per-pupil spending in Cleveland ISD falls in the upper range among Liberty County districts, suggesting that financial resources are allocated at above the county median, yet academic outcomes remain among the lowest in the county. This gap between spending and proficiency highlights the complexity of the district's challenges: money alone cannot resolve overcrowding, facility constraints, and the effects of rapid, destabilizing growth on instructional quality and staff stability.

For families considering Cleveland ISD, the district presents a setting characterized by growth and transition rather than stability. Class sizes are elevated due to capacity constraints, permanent facility expansion is uncertain, and academic proficiency is low. The district does spend resources at levels above its county peers, and growth appears to be slowing, which could eventually ease some operational pressures. Families should visit schools, ask directly about class sizes and portables at specific grade levels, and understand that the experience is shaped substantially by the district's recent and ongoing growing pains.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

11,970

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 87%

Black 3%

White 8%

Asian 0%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

25%

Gr 4

23%

Gr 5

24%

Gr 6

20%

35%

Gr 7

21%

39%

Gr 8

27%

38%

Math

Gr 3

Gr 4

—

Gr 5

27%

—

Gr 6

11%

Gr 7

Gr 8

15%

24%

Science

Gr 5

—

Gr 8

19%

34%

Social studies

Gr 8

13%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

26%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

11%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

22%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

10%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

25%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

10%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

45%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

16%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

31%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

13%

—

Schools in this District

11 schools are officially reported under this district.

DISCIPLINARY ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM

EASTSIDE EL

FREDERICK A DOUGLASS LEARNING ACADEMY

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

Grade 3

23%

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

15%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

Grade 3

23%

Grade 4

23%

Grade 5

20%

Grade 6

22%

Grade 7

28%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

20%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$236,312

Year-over-year change+0.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$216K to $264K

vs. state typical0.78x

vs. national typical0.64x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
77327	Dayton	$216K	+1.5%	53.6%
77328	Cleveland	$261K	-1.1%	38.4%
77372	Splendora	$242K	-0.4%	4.5%
77357	New Caney	$264K	-1.6%	3.5%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,714/mo

Year-over-year change+1.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,688 to $1,828/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
77327	Dayton	$1,688	+1.2%	53.6%
77328	Cleveland	$1,730	—	38.4%
77372	Splendora	$1,796	—	4.5%
77357	New Caney	$1,828	+1.7%	3.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,192/mo

Home price / national median income2.8x

Annual rent / national median income24.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$521/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$302,187 (-2.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

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.