Sampson-howard El, Temple TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Sampson-howard El

Sampson-Howard Elementary is a newly opening school in Temple, serving middle grades in a mid-sized Central Texas city experiencing rapid growth. The school's academic data comes from its first year of operation, with results from grades three, four, and five on the 2024-25 STAAR assessments.

Academic performance shows mid-range attainment across tested subjects. In English language arts, proficiency (meeting or exceeding the standard) ranges from the mid-40s in grades three and five to just under half in grade four. Math proficiency is lower, declining from just under half in grade three to roughly a third in grade four and dropping further in grade five. Science proficiency at the fifth-grade level is notably low. The school's overall proficiency index positions it below the midpoint among the county's districts. The data represents only one year and comes from the school's inaugural term, so trend information is not yet available. Parents may want to check with the school directly about growth plans and instructional initiatives underway.

Temple itself is a rapidly expanding city with major growth pushing westward toward Belton Lake, driven by new housing developments and major employers including a large Baylor Scott & White Health campus, McLane Company's headquarters, and distribution centers for H-E-B and Walmart. The housing market reflects this growth, with modest year-over-year appreciation. The downtown core has been revitalized with mixed-use development, walkable retail, and cultural anchors like the Amtrak station and museums, though new residential and school development has spread to separate campuses on the growing west side.

Temple ISD has invested heavily in infrastructure and curriculum. In 2022, voters approved the district's largest bond ever, funding a new Fine Arts Academy elementary campus and expansions at multiple campuses. More recently, in November 2025, voters approved additional funding for security upgrades and new permanent classrooms to absorb enrollment growth and reduce reliance on portables. The district also undertook a secondary math curriculum overhaul beginning in 2023-24, adopting a different instructional approach after data showed the need for change. Beginning in 2026-27, the district is launching a health professions pathway in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor Scott & White Health, providing about students each year with coursework plus clinical shadowing and mentoring, reflecting the school district's effort to align educational offerings with local employment anchors.

Enrollment data, demographic breakdown, free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility, and staffing information were not available in the publicly reported materials reviewed, so a complete picture of the student population and resource allocation cannot be drawn. The school's operational status is listed as future, which may indicate the data reflects a recently or about-to-open facility. A parent considering this school would benefit from reaching out to the district or school directly to discuss enrollment status, class composition, and the school's specific instructional priorities for the coming year.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 348%

School 48% · District 39% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 36% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 17% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 0% · ▲ 46 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 42% · ▲ 7 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 8% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 20% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

This schoolTEMPLE 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-income36%Higher-income85%49 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income45%Higher-income67%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income39%Higher-income58%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income38%Higher-income86%48 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income30%Higher-income50%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income22%Higher-income55%33 pp gap