Original Research by School Decision on Cypress Lakes H S
Cypress Lakes High School is a mid-sized public school serving grades nine through twelve in Katy, within the Cypress-Fairbanks school district. The enrollment spans a broad swath of the surrounding community, with a student body in which Hispanic and Black students represent the clear majority, and a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in a suburban setting in a housing market marked by modest median home values, stable rents, and a supply of active listings typical of a growing outer Houston county.
On state testing, Cypress Lakes reports results from a single year of assessment. In English language arts, a majority of students meet or exceed the state standard. Math shows lower mastery, with fewer students meeting the top proficiency level, though a substantial share reaches the baseline "approaches" standard. Science is the school's strongest area, with nearly all students meeting the baseline and a solid share reaching mastery. Social studies performance falls between these poles. Across all subjects, around half the student body meets the grade-level standard, while about one in six achieves mastery. The baseline "approaches" measure runs higher across the board. A reader should note that only one year of state data is available, so trend analysis is not possible. The school's own assessment results paint a profile of students with uneven preparation across subjects, with science instruction reaching broader reach and depth than mathematics.
The district has undergone recent structural changes that touch every high school. Publicly reported, the district eliminated librarian positions ahead of the 2024-25 school year as part of a budget reduction, cutting the campus librarian model so that fewer librarians now oversee multiple campuses instead of one librarian per campus. This is a permanent staffing shift that reduces library access and services.
The district board has also reversed course on curriculum control. In May 2024, the board voted to omit chapters from science and health textbooks covering topics such as climate change, vaccinations, and cultural diversity. In the same period, the board rewrote library policy to give trustees final approval over book acquisitions. Then in February 2026, after a November election changed the board's composition, trustees voted to reinstate the removed chapters. These moves reflect ongoing tension over curriculum and library materials. Families with strong preferences about text selection and instructional breadth may want to look into the school's and district's current stance on these topics.
On the tax front, publicly reported, the district lowered its property tax rate for 2025 to its lowest level in nearly four decades, which reduces homeowner bills and is relevant to families considering the area.
Data on the school's four-year graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, and some demographic breakdowns for special-education and English learner populations were not available. These figures may be available directly from the school or district upon request. Comparison data placing the school against other Harris County high schools was not applicable because the school's proficiency data and graduation rate were not part of the county comparison universe at the time these figures were gathered.
See more original research from School Decision →