The Lawson Academy, Houston TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on The Lawson Academy

The Lawson Academy is a public charter school serving grades pre-K through 8 in Houston's South Union area. The school recently expanded from a single-gender middle school into a full PK-8campus, adding tuition-free preschool and elementary grades with flexible scheduling including full-day, year-round, and after-school options, along with free meals. That expansion opened the school to younger children and families seeking early childhood education at no cost, while grades 6 through 8 continue to operate as single-gender classes.

Academic performance is a significant consideration. State testing data from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below state averages across both math and English language arts. In math, proficiency ranged from low in the sixth grade to higher in the eighth grade, while English language arts proficiency was stronger at sixth grade and eighth grade than in seventh grade. Science and social studies proficiency were low across eighth grade, the only grade tested in those subjects. The school received a D accountability rating from the state for the 2024-2025 school year. On a proficiency-rate measure relative to other districts in Harris County, the school sits below the midpoint. A parent may want to discuss these results in detail with the school to understand the academic support structures in place and trajectories going forward.

Teacher experience is notably low; the average tenure at the school is substantially below the state average. This reflects a young staff, which can carry both trade-offs: newer teachers often bring energy and contemporary training, but less experience may limit the depth of instructional strategy available to struggling learners.

The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic population and very few white, Asian, or multiracial students. Over nine-tenths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student population facing substantial economic hardship. The early elementary grades enroll a much larger cohort than the middle grades, suggesting that families are using the school's early childhood services.

The school's location in Houston places families in a sprawling, car-dependent city that nonetheless contains pockets of walkability and is served by METRO transit. Houston lacks traditional zoning, so residential and commercial uses mix throughout; neighborhoods are not sharply bounded. The housing market in the 77004 zip code shows values near the low end relative to state benchmarks and is experiencing modest decline, while monthly rents remain modest. The broader region is experiencing rapid population growth, though growth is shifting increasingly toward suburban and exurban counties at the periphery. Major employers anchor the local economy in energy, healthcare, aerospace, and logistics.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 16%

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 721%

School 21% · District 21%

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

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 30%

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 41%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 29%

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 40%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 19%

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

This schoolTHE LAWSON ACADEMY, 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.