The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Math. The lowest is 42% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Burbank El
Burbank Elementary sits on Tidwell in Houston's northside, a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade within Houston ISD. The enrollment is substantial for an elementary campus, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with Black students making up most of the remainder and very small numbers of other groups. Nearly every child enrolled qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which places Burbank among the most economically concentrated campuses in a district that itself serves a high-poverty population. English learner counts were not reported in the data available here, though the school's grade span and demographic profile suggest that population is likely present; a parent should ask the school directly.
On state assessments, Burbank's results are a mixed picture. Texas STAAR results from the most recent school year show that in math, third and fifth graders reached proficiency at rates solidly above half, while fourth grade fell somewhat below that mark. In reading and language arts, third grade performed similarly to its math cohort, and fourth grade came in right at the halfway point. Fifth grade ELA results were not reportable due to a very small number of students tested on the Spanish version of the assessment. Science scores in fifth grade came in below half of students reaching proficiency. Across all tested subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Harris County, which is a meaningful position given the breadth and economic diversity of that comparison set. The share of students reaching the "approaches" threshold district-wide runs well above half, while the share reaching the highest "masters" level is considerably smaller, as it tends to be statewide. Multi-year trend data was available for only a single year, so no trajectory can be described. A parent who wants to understand whether results have been improving or declining should ask the school for prior-year campus data.
Graduation rate does not apply here; Burbank serves only prekindergarten through fifth grade. No information was available on program offerings, course access, discipline data, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios, so those questions would need to go directly to the campus.
The housing market around the school carries home values that are well below both the Texas state benchmark and the national benchmark, and have declined modestly year over year. Rents in the zip code are modest by Houston standards and have edged up slightly. For a family weighing where to live, this part of the northside is among the more affordable entry points into the city, though the Harris County market overall has seen prices soften and inventory grow, with homes sitting on the market somewhat longer than a year ago.
The district context matters here and should be read carefully. Houston ISD has been under state control since 2023, with the elected school board replaced by a state-appointed board of managers; that arrangement has been extended publicly through at least mid-2027. The Texas Education Agency's takeover brought a new instructional model called the New Education System to a growing number of campuses. It uses standardized curriculum, scripted lessons, daily timed quizzes in core subjects, and longer school days. Whether Burbank is an NES campus or has been affected by elements of the model is something a parent should confirm directly with the school, as the district has reported that aspects of the model have spread well beyond the original cohort. The district's conversion of libraries at some reformed campuses into spaces for students with behavioral issues, and the elimination of traditional librarian positions at those schools, is another change worth asking about at the campus level.
A large bond package that would have funded campus rebuilds, HVAC upgrades, and security improvements was rejected by voters in late 2024, leaving aging facility needs unaddressed. The district has also voted to close and consolidate a number of campuses, citing declining enrollment; a parent moving into the attendance zone should confirm that Burbank itself is not among those affected and that reassignment plans are stable.
Houston as a city means car-dependent daily life for most families in this part of town, though METRO bus service exists. The northside sits outside the walkable pockets that cluster closer to downtown and the Museum District. The city's lack of traditional zoning means the neighborhood's character can shift gradually, and the broader Houston metro continues to add residents at a pace that ranks among the fastest in the country, with growth pushing outward into suburban counties even as the urban core continues to develop.
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