Stelle Claughton Middle, Houston TX

Original Research by School Decision on Stelle Claughton Middle

Stelle Claughton Middle sits in the Spring Independent School District in Houston's northeast corridors, serving students in grades six through eight. The school's enrollment is modest for its grade band, with balanced cohorts across the three grade levels. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of Black students and smaller Asian and white populations. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the neighborhoods the school draws from.

Academic performance is the critical issue here. State testing results from 2024-25 show proficiency rates well below what the field typically considers sustainable. In sixth and seventh grade math, proficiency hovered around a low level; it rose to a more moderate level by eighth grade, but that still represents modest achievement. English language arts proficiency was similarly constrained in grades six and seven before climbing slightly in eighth grade. Science and social studies performance in eighth grade fell below math and ELA, with social studies particularly strained. Looking across all subjects at the "meets grade level" standard, roughly a third of students achieved it; only one in ten students earned a "masters" rating, indicating advanced performance. These results place the school in the bottom quartile among Harris County districts on overall proficiency. A parent may want to look into further with the school how it is working to close these gaps, what specific interventions are in place for students struggling in foundational skills, and what support systems exist for students entering high school with weak preparation.

The broader context matters. Spring ISD has faced real budget pressures in recent years. In November 2024, voters rejected a proposed property tax increase intended to fund teacher and staff raises and address a budget shortfall. The district subsequently made cuts to programs and staffing for the 2024-25 school year. At the same time, the district is in the midst of a major capital transformation funded by a bond approved in 2022, including the planned rebuilding of Spring High School and new instructional facilities district-wide, though these longer-term improvements will not immediately affect middle grades academic performance.

Housing in the 77067 zip code where the school is located is modestly priced by Houston metropolitan standards, and the rental market reflects affordability for working families. The community itself is part of fast-growing exurban Houston, where significant new residential development continues to push outward. The school's location on Spears Road places it in an area with mixed residential and commercial character, typical of Houston's unzoned landscape where different uses coexist.

For families whose children need strong foundational support in core academics, or for students approaching middle grades with gaps in prior learning, this school's current proficiency patterns suggest the need for either supplemental support outside school, careful monitoring of progress, or exploration of alternative school options within or outside the district. For families accepting of a school where many peers may also struggle academically and where the school is actively working to improve but still early in that trajectory, Stelle Claughton offers a neighborhood school serving a predominantly low-income, ethnically diverse community.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 613%

School 13% · District 18% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 713%

School 13% · District 22% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 32% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 41% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 732%

School 32% · District 41% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 46% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 33% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 14% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolSPRING 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-income30%Higher-income20%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income52%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income40%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income13%Higher-income13%0 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income11%Higher-income29%18 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income45%8 pp gap