Original Research by School Decision on Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies
Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies is a charter high school in Port Arthur serving grades nine through twelve. The school is small, with a total enrollment across all four grades. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of Hispanic students and students of other races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the enrollment.
The school's academic profile is uneven. On the most recent state assessments, performance in science was notably strong, with all students meeting the "approaches" standard and a meaningful share reaching "masters." Social studies results were also solid in the "approaches" category. English language arts and math told a different story. In English, while most students met "approaches," only a small fraction reached "meets" and none demonstrated "masters" performance. Mathematics was the weakest area: fewer than half the student body reached "approaches," and no students attained "meets" or "masters" levels. Across all subjects combined, most students reached "approaches," but only a small share achieved "meets" and very few "masters."
This academic landscape arrives in the context of a sharp institutional change. The school's state accountability rating fell dramatically from an A to an F between the 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 school years, prompting adoption of a formal recovery plan. In response, the academy implemented a curriculum shift to the Bluebonnet framework to better align instruction with state standards and the STAAR assessment, added staff in both teaching and intervention roles to provide more individualized support, and launched Family Academic Nights to give parents resources for STAAR preparation at home. These changes represent a major instructional reset rather than incremental adjustment, and families considering enrollment would be entering a school in active recovery and rebuilding.
The school offers athletics limited to boys basketball and a student council. The data available does not include information about Advanced Placement courses, dual-credit pathways, career programs, or broader elective offerings, so a parent may want to contact the school directly about the breadth of academic options beyond core instruction.
Housing values in the Port Arthur area are well below both the state and national benchmarks, making the neighborhood relatively affordable. Unemployment is modest and median household income is stable, though the economic context reflects a working community rather than one of broad wealth.
The school sits at an inflection point. The recovery plan signals institutional commitment to change, but whether the new curriculum, added staff, and parent engagement initiatives will move performance forward remains a question with limited data. A family considering Tekoa Academy should understand that this is a school rebuilding from a significant setback, with early test results showing particular need in mathematics and layered strength in science and social studies.
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