The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Foster El
Foster Elementary serves the early grades in a neighborhood on San Antonio's east side, in a school community shaped by acute economic need and the district-wide rightsizing that has reorganized schools across the system.
The school enrolls a small population of roughly that size for its grade band, spanning prekindergarten through fifth grade. Nearly all students—well above nine in ten—qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller populations of Black students and a handful of other backgrounds. English learner enrollment data and special education identification rates are not publicly reported here, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about language support and services for students with disabilities.
The academic picture reflected in state testing is notably weak across the board. In math, proficiency ranges from low teen percentages in third and fourth grade to roughly a quarter of fifth graders meeting grade-level standards. In English language arts, results run slightly higher, with third-grade students around a quarter meeting standards, fourth grade at a fifth, and fifth grade at about a third. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at a low level. These figures place the school well below the median across districts in Bexar County, at the bottom of that comparison tier. The data does not explain the reasons behind these results—whether they reflect student characteristics, prior preparation, curriculum implementation, staffing, or other factors—so a parent should probe with the school and district about what is driving these outcomes and what support systems and improvement efforts are in place.
San Antonio ISD itself is in transition. A major decision by the school board in November 2023 closed fifteen schools and merged or redesigned others as part of a district-wide "rightsizing" in response to declining enrollment. This meant families were reassigned to new campuses and many students left the district entirely. Separately, the district has standardized its math and reading curriculum across campuses and adopted a phonics-focused approach to reading instruction, departing from prior campus-by-campus variation. These are significant structural and pedagogical shifts that families should understand when considering schools in the district.
On the physical side, San Antonio voters approved a major bond in November 2020 that has funded renovations and technology upgrades across many district campuses through 2025, so facility improvements continue as incoming families join schools.
The neighborhood itself is San Antonio, a city in rapid growth that has added residents faster than nearly any other U.S. metro in recent years. Housing in the zip code is priced below the Texas and national benchmarks, with median home values and rents relatively affordable compared to other parts of the state and nation, though rising rents and modest home-price declines reflect broader economic currents. The area sits on the city's east side without the downtown walkability of the River Walk district; daily life is car-dependent.
Foster Elementary is a school for families whose priorities center on accessibility and who want proximity to their neighborhood. The test results signal that academic support will need to come from multiple sources. A parent considering this school should ask the principal about the curriculum changes, current instructional support, class sizes, staffing stability, and what the school is doing to move students forward given the baseline results. The state testing data alone does not tell the full story of a child's learning; school visits, conversations with current families, and detailed questions about classroom practices and student support are essential.
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