Yes Prep - Southwest, Houston TX

Original Research by School Decision on Yes Prep - Southwest

YES PREP - SOUTHWEST is a charter middle and high school serving grades six through twelve in southwest Houston. The school enrolls a student body that is overwhelmingly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged, with a large share of families qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The enrollment is small to mid-sized for its grade span, with roughly balanced cohorts across middle and high school grades.

On state testing, the school shows uneven results across subjects. In English language arts, performance is stronger, with solid proficiency rates that improve from grade six through grade eight. Math proficiency is more moderate, particularly in eighth grade. Science results are middling. Social studies is a notable soft spot, with proficiency rates well below the pattern in other subjects. Across all tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts, a meaningful position that reflects mixed but not weak academic output.

The school is part of YES Prep Public Schools, a charter network that has undergone substantial expansion in recent years. YES Prep historically operated only grades six through twelve, but beginning in 2020 the district began opening elementary schools to create full pre-K-12 feeder patterns. Two new elementary schools opened in 2025, and the network has grown to more than two dozen campuses. This structural shift matters for families: enrollment growth has been sharp, and the district uses a randomized lottery when demand exceeds seats, so families interested in YES Prep should apply early and understand they may not secure their first choice.

YES PREP - SOUTHWEST sits in southwest Houston, a part of the city that is growing residentially but remains car-dependent. The neighborhood character reflects Houston's lack of traditional zoning, so residential, commercial, and light industrial uses mix together. Housing in the area is modest in value, and rental rates are accessible. The broader Houston region is among the fastest-growing in the United States, with population and housing construction accelerating outward into suburban counties, though the inner core continues to develop mixed-use districts and improve pedestrian infrastructure.

The school's location within the YES Prep system positions it as part of a network with a clear college-prep model and deliberate curriculum design. However, the data provided does not include information on specific programs, course offerings, graduation rates, or student support services that would help shape a fuller picture of daily experience and outcomes at this campus. A parent may want to reach out to the school directly to understand course scope, college-placement results, discipline policies, and the peer environment in more detail.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=95%Cohort of 128 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

1,779 schools plotted. 59 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 647%

School 47% · District 35% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 754%

School 54% · District 38% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 44% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 51% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 53% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 60% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Science

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 44% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 23% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolYES PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS INC, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income75%18 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income61%Higher-income71%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income69%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income45%Higher-income67%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income53%Higher-income63%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income40%2 pp gap