The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on South Houston Int
South Houston Intermediate is a middle school serving grades seven and eight in the Pasadena Independent School District, located in a small, established working-class city in southeastern Harris County. The school enrolls a small but substantial student body in a densely settled community where a large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student population is predominantly Latino.
The academic picture shows uneven performance across subjects. In English Language Arts, the school demonstrates its strongest results, with about a third of seventh-graders and roughly a similar share of eighth-graders achieving proficiency. Math tells a different story: seventh-grade math proficiency is notably low, with only a small fraction of students meeting grade-level standards. Eighth-grade math performance improves somewhat, though it remains below ELA. Science and social studies results in eighth grade fall between these points. Across all assessed subjects, the school sits below the midpoint for overall proficiency when compared to other schools in Harris County. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to math instruction and support during the middle grades, as this appears to be a particular area of need.
On the broader academic profile, the school shows that about two-thirds of students reach the "approaches" performance level (the lowest proficiency tier) across all subjects combined, and only a small share reaches the "masters" level in any area. In English Language Arts specifically, a substantial share of students demonstrate at least an "approaches" proficiency, which is the school's strongest showing overall.
South Houston Intermediate draws its students almost entirely from the surrounding neighborhood. The overwhelming majority of families in the school's attendance area have low to moderate incomes, and most students live in and around the incorporated city of South Houston, a built-out small city where population has stabilized and housing stock is aging. The median home value in the South Houston zip code is moderate for the Houston area, and rental housing is available, making it an affordable housing option within the greater metro region. However, families considering this area should be aware that the Pasadena ISD is undergoing consolidation: the school board recently voted to close McMasters Elementary and to restructure Tegeler Community School into two programs placed within high schools, reflecting broader enrollment decline and budget constraints that may reshape school operations. Additionally, the district approved a 2022 bond for campus replacements and improvements and has set a property tax rate that includes full use of disaster pennies related to a January 2023 tornado, affecting the property tax obligations families would face.
The school serves a neighborhood with few major named employers within the city limits itself, though the area sits near significant regional job centers including the Texas Medical Center and the Houston Ship Channel. South Houston maintains its own small municipal government, parks, and public library, and sits on an older grid-street pattern that differs from the sprawling layout of newer Houston suburbs, though the town has limited pedestrian infrastructure documentation. State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 provide regional connections.
For a family considering this school, the defining context is stable, affordable housing in a mature working-class community paired with middle-grade academic performance that varies by subject. The school's ELA foundation is relatively sound, while math support and overall proficiency gains appear to be areas where students and families might benefit from closer partnership with the school on academic strategy.
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