Garfield El, Houston TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Garfield El

Garfield Elementary serves prekindergarten through fourth grade in the Pasadena Independent School District, located on the south side of Houston. The school is small, with enrollment drawn almost entirely from the immediate neighborhood: the student body is about ninety percent Hispanic, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school serving a economically modest community.

Academic performance is mixed across grade levels. In the most recent state testing (STAAR), fourth-grade math proficiency reached a solid level, while third-grade math proficiency was substantially lower. Third-grade English language arts proficiency sat at about the midpoint, while fourth-grade English performance dipped lower. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Pasadena ISD's elementary peers when compared to other districts in Harris County, though the variation between grade levels suggests uneven mastery of foundational skills. State testing data does not capture engagement or growth in the early grades that precede standardized assessment.

The neighborhood where Garfield sits is part of Houston's south side, an area shaped by the city's lack of traditional zoning, meaning residential, commercial, and industrial uses mix freely. Housing values in the zipcode are modest and have remained relatively flat recently. The area has strong car dependency typical of Houston, though transit access varies by specific location. Houston overall is experiencing rapid regional growth, though that growth has been shifting outward to suburbs and exurban counties; the core areas including south Houston have seen more modest population movement.

Pasadena ISD has undergone significant restructuring. In May 2026 the board voted to close McMasters Elementary and consolidate it with Parks Elementary, and to restructure Tegeler Community School. These closures reflect ongoing enrollment decline and budget constraints that shape the district's capacity. At the same time, the district has pursued capital investment: a bond package approved in 2022 funded campus replacements, security upgrades, and technology improvements. The district's property tax rate for 2024-25 incorporates full "disaster pennies" tied to a January 2023 tornado, allowing the rate to exceed the voter-approval threshold without an election. For families considering a move to the area, these tax and consolidation decisions warrant direct conversation with the school or district about how they may affect attendance assignments or school operations in coming years.

Garfield Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a community where most families face economic constraints. Its academic results show some strength in fourth-grade math alongside softer performance in third-grade math and upper-grade reading. A parent may want to look into the school's early literacy and numeracy supports directly, and to understand how the district's recent consolidations might affect the school's stability and resources.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 37% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 43% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 46% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 49% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolPASADENA ISD, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income47%Higher-income88%41 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income60%Higher-income47%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income60%Higher-income60%0 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income16%Higher-income33%17 pp gap