Friendswood Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Friendswood Isd

Friendswood ISD serves a mid-sized enrollment across pre-K through 12th grade in Galveston County. The district sits in a community with a housing market weighted heavily toward a particular zip code where home values have remained stable but rental costs are rising. Property taxes appear to have been a live issue; voters approved a tax-rate election in late 2023 that restructured district funding, and rejected a larger bond package in late 2025 before approving a scaled-back infrastructure bond in May 2026. These votes signal both community engagement and sensitivity to tax increases, something families moving into the area should track.

On academics, the district shows strength in English language arts across elementary and middle grades, with a solid majority of students meeting proficiency standards from grade three through eight. Math proficiency is strong in grades three through five and again in grades seven and eight, though grade six math performance dips noticeably. Science shows more uneven results: fifth-grade science proficiency is notably lower, while eighth-grade science rebounds. Social studies at eighth grade falls below half the students meeting standards, a relative weak spot. Across all tested subjects, about nine in ten students reach the "approaches" performance level, but only about four in ten reach "master" level, indicating that while most students meet baseline expectations, advanced mastery is less common.

The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller Asian, Black, and multiracial communities. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data and English learner enrollment counts were not reported, so a parent looking to understand the socioeconomic composition or the district's capacity for language support should ask the district directly. Special education enrollment data was also not available.

Within Galveston County's nine districts, Friendswood ranks in the top quartile on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. Chronic absenteeism is comparatively low. Per-pupil spending sits in the lower range among county districts, suggesting the district operates relatively efficiently or with constrained resources depending on perspective.

The district has moved away from College Board AP and Pre-AP designations in favor of its own "Mustang Advanced Program" label for advanced coursework, citing alignment with district mission over rigid College Board curriculum requirements. This means families should understand that advanced courses are locally branded and may not carry the AP credential for college purposes, though the district appears to frame this as a trade-off for closer alignment with local priorities.

High school and middle school are separate buildings, and elementary schools include both traditional and intermediate configurations. The district has several open campuses, though one Westwood Elementary remains unaddressed by the recently approved bond's facility plans, having failed its own replacement proposition twice. That school will continue to operate with its existing physical plant.

A parent considering Friendswood should weigh the steady academic performance, particularly in reading and writing, against the notable variation in science and social studies, and should clarify with the district how advanced coursework translates to college admissions and dual-credit pathways without AP branding. The community's recent tax decisions and bond votes show families watching district finances closely, something to consider alongside the district's current spending position.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

6,210

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 22%

Black 2%

White 65%

Asian 7%

Two+ 5%

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

53%

78%

Gr 4

61%

81%

Gr 5

73%

82%

Gr 6

63%

81%

Gr 7

58%

84%

Gr 8

50%

84%

Math

Gr 3

42%

72%

Gr 4

39%

78%

Gr 5

56%

76%

Gr 6

43%

51%

Gr 7

43%

74%

Gr 8

58%

84%

Science

Gr 5

31%

48%

Gr 8

39%

71%

Social studies

Gr 8

33%

49%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

69%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

14%

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

40%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

70%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

12%

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

43%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

71%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

16%

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

40%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

60%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

13%

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

31%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

66%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

11%

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

37%

—

Schools in this District

7 schools are officially reported under this district.

GALVESTON CO J J A E P

WINDSONG EL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

69%

Grade 3

74%

Grade 4

73%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

73%

Grade 7

83%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

75%

Grade 3

79%

Grade 4

81%

Grade 5

80%

Grade 6

83%

Grade 7

83%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

46%

Grade 5

70%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

49%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$403,205

Year-over-year change-0.5%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$296K to $403K

vs. state typical1.33x

vs. national typical1.10x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
77546	Friendswood	$403K	-0.5%	100.0%
77573	League City	$384K	-0.7%	0.0%
77511	Alvin	$296K	+0.3%	0.0%
77581	Pearland	$374K	-0.1%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,912/mo

Year-over-year change+2.6%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,566 to $1,913/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
77546	Friendswood	$1,913	+2.6%	100.0%
77573	League City	$1,819	+1.2%	0.0%
77511	Alvin	$1,566	+0.7%	0.0%
77581	Pearland	$1,895	-0.7%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,035/mo

Home price / national median income4.8x

Annual rent / national median income27.4%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$122/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.