The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hicks El
Hicks Elementary is a small to mid-sized school in southwest Houston serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, with an enrollment drawn almost entirely from the immediate neighborhood. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is majority Hispanic with substantial Black and Asian enrollment and very small numbers of white students. The school sits in the 77083 zip code, an area where home values have edged down slightly and rents remain modest, making it accessible to families with tight budgets.
State assessment results for this school show student proficiency well below the median across Harris County's districts. In math, about one in five third graders and fewer than one in three fourth graders demonstrated proficiency on the STAAR test. In English language arts, performance is somewhat stronger—roughly four in ten students met proficiency in both tested grades—but still runs below typical. When viewed across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school's proficiency index falls below the county midpoint. These numbers suggest that a majority of Hicks students are working below grade-level expectations in core academics.
The school is a traditional public school within Alief ISD, which sprawls across parts of southwest and west Houston. It is not a magnet, charter, or specialized program school, so it follows the standard elementary curriculum and instructional approach of its district. The data available does not include information about special education services, English learner supports, discipline practices, or attendance rates, so a parent may want to explore those dimensions directly with the school to understand what services are available for students who are struggling or learning English.
The neighborhood around the school is working-class and diverse. Housing costs are modest relative to Houston's broader metro area, and the market has remained stable. This is the kind of community school that serves children from families who have deep roots in the neighborhood and families new to Houston working in logistics, healthcare, retail, or service work tied to the city's major employers.
For families considering Hicks, the primary question is support for academic growth. The proficiency results indicate that students are entering and moving through the grades without catching up to grade-level standards in meaningful numbers. A parent evaluating the school should ask directly about intervention programs for students reading or doing math below grade level, the approach to English learner instruction if that applies to their child, and what homework and home reading support the school recommends. The school may have strong classroom relationships and a welcoming community feel that does not show up in test data, and those matter. But the test results are a real signal that many students here are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks, and families should understand what the school's plan is to change that trajectory.
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