The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Gross El
Gross Elementary serves a small student body of pre-K through fifth grade in southwest Houston, located in a zip code where housing values are moderate and rentals in the low thousands per month. The school enrolls students nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic composition of the neighborhood. The demographic makeup is substantially Hispanic, with a large African American enrollment and smaller Asian and white populations.
The 2024-25 test results show proficiency rates below the midpoint among Harris County districts across tested subjects. In math, third grade students achieved proficiency at roughly half, but by fifth grade that dropped to zero. English language arts shows similarly weak performance: third graders reached proficiency at about one in five students, fourth graders at about one in three, and fifth graders at roughly four in ten. Science testing at fifth grade shows proficiency at about one in eight. The data comes from STAAR assessments, and the pattern suggests students are struggling across core academic domains in the elementary years.
One thing worth understanding: the school's assessment testing pool is small in some grades. Grade four has very few students taking the test, which means those results should be read with caution. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class size, enrollment patterns, and whether certain grades are offered in smaller cohorts.
The broader context matters here. Gross Elementary is part of Houston ISD, which has been under state takeover governance since June 2023. The state dissolved the elected school board and installed a board of managers and superintendent appointed by the Texas Education Agency. Control will return to elected leadership only when the district meets state criteria—no campuses failing for multiple years, special education compliance, and improved governance. That transition is set for no earlier than June 2027. This means parents have no elected local board to address to; the school answers to state appointees.
The district also rolled out a new instructional model called the New Education System at some schools, characterized by standardized curriculum, scripted lessons, longer school days, and daily timed quizzes. That model has expanded to roughly one-third of campuses and elements have begun to affect others. NES schools receive substantially more per-student funding than non-NES schools. It is unclear from the data provided whether Gross Elementary operates under that model, so that is something a parent would want to clarify with the school.
The district continues to navigate enrollment declines and facility pressures. In February 2026 the state-appointed board voted to close or consolidate twelve campuses after the 2025-26 school year. Parents considering the school would want to confirm that Gross Elementary is not on that closure list and ask about the school's current enrollment trajectory and any planned reassignments.
Housing in the school's zip code is affordable by Houston standards, with median home values and rental rates both on the modest side relative to the metro area. The neighborhood reflects Houston's characteristic lack of traditional zoning, so commercial and residential uses mix readily.
Gross Elementary is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation, so it operates within the Houston ISD framework and serves neighborhood enrollment. For families seeking a traditional elementary pathway in an economically diverse, walkable urban setting where housing is attainable, it is a local option, but the academic performance data and the district's current governance and operational instability are factors that warrant careful, direct conversation with the school itself.
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