Marshall Kendrick Middle, Pasadena TX

Original Research by School Decision on Marshall Kendrick Middle

Marshall Kendrick Middle is a small middle school serving fifth and sixth grades in Pasadena, a large industrial and suburban community in Harris County. The school enrolls students split roughly evenly between the two grades, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller populations of Black, white, and Asian students.

The school's state assessment results show weak performance across subjects. In English language arts, sixth graders reached the meets standard at a modest rate, while fifth graders took a Spanish-language version of the assessment with too few test-takers to report results. Math performance is particularly low: sixth-grade students showed minimal proficiency, and fifth-grade results are unavailable due to sparse testing. Science results from fifth grade, the only grade tested in that subject, show similarly low proficiency rates. Across all subjects and grade levels, fewer than a third of students tested at the proficient level or above.

When compared to other districts in Harris County, Marshall Kendrick's overall proficiency index sits below the county midpoint. The school offers no data on graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, or other outcome measures, which reflects the school's role as a middle campus serving early secondary grades rather than the high school completion stage.

Pasadena is a mature, largely built-out city whose growth peaked decades ago. The industrial base along the Houston Ship Channel continues to anchor the local economy, alongside the school district and San Jacinto College. The median home price in the area is moderate for the Houston region, with rental costs stable. The community is car-dependent; most errands require a vehicle, and shopping and dining cluster along arterial roads rather than walkable neighborhoods. Parks and a public library system serve recreational and civic needs.

The Pasadena ISD context matters for families considering this school. The district recently voted to close McMasters Elementary and consolidate Tegeler Community School, reflecting broader enrollment decline and budget pressure that may affect attendance zones. A bond package approved in 2022 is funding campus replacements and facility upgrades, and the district is using disaster-related tax authority to keep spending levels stable. These shifts mean families should verify current boundaries and programs directly with the district, as infrastructure changes can alter which schools serve particular addresses.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 44% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Science

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 7% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above 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 6Lower-income38%Higher-income53%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income38%12 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income88%Higher-income100%12 pp gap