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GreatSchools Rating

Houston High School

Public | 9-12 | 851 students

Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars


Teacher quality

Principal leadership

Parent involvement

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6 reviews of this school


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Posted August 18, 2009

Sam Houston is an awesome school with a bad rap and is unfairly judged, as is all of SAISD! We are an award winning unique urban district. I am an active parent that can tell you from all aspects and experience as an educator, one HUGE mistake was to remove Mr. Simpson from Sam Houston! A great effort was made with Mrs. Hammonds that did not work out as planned; we lost some outstanding staff and supporters during her reign as Principal, but she came from an elementary school, after all... We have an awesome staff and parents who really care, but the student ratio is too much for them. If we parents stay involved as active participants as we once did at the elementary level of our children's education, our High School children could surpass every expectation we have of them and more. Go Hurricanes!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 19, 2009

I am a proud parent and my son is currently attending the school ,Sam Houston is a great school and has a great leader.Mrs. Hammonds is doing a great job .We have new programs such as The M.E.T. program(manufacturing,engineering,and technology) we competed in robotics competitions in Houston,Tx.and did very well and placed higher than other schools in the districtin our first year.Iam excited about the up coming years we are growing and growth takes time.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 27, 2008

I am a proud parent of my child whom is currently attending Sam Houston High. The school is very under rated due to it's location. My child excels in sports, and manufacturing which I believe is a new program at the school. The teachers he has are great from what I am told by my child.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 29, 2008

i love sam houston because it allows me to focus on college , and not other things. my favorite teacher there is mrs.johnson she helped me through my roughest times go samm!!!! -lorenzia tomas
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted April 6, 2005

The Principal, Mr. Simpson is highly underrated. He works hard, is a skilled leader, and has high standards. Many have given him a hard time but he continues to fight for what's right.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 17, 2004

This school is one strong in tradition of high standards dating back from the '70s. Due to some very bad isolated disciplinary incidents pertaining to students as well as administrative staff the school has been trying to overcome a negative reputation. My daughter graduated top of her class and it didn't spoil her advancement into business management. And now ten years later my son will be graduating top 1/4 of his class. I really think it's all in the attitude of the total makeup of the school -(parents, staff and community).
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 70% in 2011.

206 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
34%

2010

 
 
31%

2009

 
 
36%

2008

 
 
21%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 89% in 2011.

215 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
82%

2010

 
 
80%

2009

 
 
75%

2008

 
 
62%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 91% in 2011.

126 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
84%

2009

 
 
64%

2008

 
 
65%
Math

The state average for Math was 74% in 2011.

116 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
41%

2010

 
 
52%

2009

 
 
31%

2008

 
 
30%
Science

The state average for Science was 76% in 2011.

122 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
52%

2010

 
 
45%

2009

 
 
25%

2008

 
 
32%
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 93% in 2011.

117 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
82%

2010

 
 
87%

2009

 
 
72%

2008

 
 
78%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 95% in 2011.

139 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
92%

2010

 
 
80%

2009

 
 
73%

2008

 
 
62%
Math

The state average for Math was 90% in 2011.

139 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
83%

2010

 
 
75%

2009

 
 
47%

2008

 
 
36%
Science

The state average for Science was 91% in 2011.

141 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
82%

2010

 
 
78%

2009

 
 
52%

2008

 
 
44%
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 99% in 2011.

137 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
99%

2010

 
 
94%

2009

 
 
89%

2008

 
 
75%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students34%
Female37%
Male31%
Black or African American32%
Asiann/a
Hispanic37%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged34%
Not economically disadvantaged31%
Special education18%
Not special education35%
Limited English proficient (LEP)29%
Proficient in English35%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant34%
Gifted/talented100%

Reading

All Students82%
Female87%
Male77%
Black or African American85%
Asiann/a
Hispanic79%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged82%
Not economically disadvantaged85%
Special education64%
Not special education84%
Limited English proficient (LEP)74%
Proficient in English83%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant82%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

English Language Arts

All Students80%
Female88%
Male73%
Black or African American84%
Asiann/a
Hispanic77%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged80%
Not economically disadvantaged82%
Special education45%
Not special education83%
Limited English proficient (LEP)n/a
Proficient in English81%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant80%
Gifted/talented100%

Math

All Students41%
Female42%
Male40%
Black or African American43%
Asiann/a
Hispanic36%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged41%
Not economically disadvantaged40%
Special education29%
Not special education41%
Limited English proficient (LEP)n/a
Proficient in English43%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant41%
Gifted/talented89%

Science

All Students52%
Female53%
Male52%
Black or African American50%
Asiann/a
Hispanic55%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged52%
Not economically disadvantaged55%
Special education20%
Not special education55%
Limited English proficient (LEP)n/a
Proficient in English54%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant53%
Gifted/talented100%

Social Studies

All Students82%
Female83%
Male82%
Black or African American81%
Asiann/a
Hispanic84%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged81%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Special education50%
Not special education85%
Limited English proficient (LEP)n/a
Proficient in English85%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant83%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

English Language Arts

All Students92%
Female96%
Male88%
Black or African American92%
Asiann/a
Hispanic93%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White100%
Economically disadvantaged92%
Not economically disadvantaged100%
Special education69%
Not special education96%
Limited English proficient (LEP)67%
Proficient in English95%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant93%
Gifted/talented100%

Math

All Students83%
Female82%
Male83%
Black or African American81%
Asiann/a
Hispanic83%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White100%
Economically disadvantaged82%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Special education58%
Not special education86%
Limited English proficient (LEP)50%
Proficient in English86%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant83%
Gifted/talented91%

Science

All Students82%
Female78%
Male87%
Black or African American80%
Asiann/a
Hispanic83%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White100%
Economically disadvantaged82%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Special education64%
Not special education84%
Limited English proficient (LEP)67%
Proficient in English83%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant82%
Gifted/talented100%

Social Studies

All Students99%
Female100%
Male98%
Black or African American99%
Asiann/a
Hispanic100%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
White100%
Economically disadvantaged99%
Not economically disadvantaged100%
Special education100%
Not special education99%
Limited English proficient (LEP)100%
Proficient in English99%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant99%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

  • In 2010-2011, this school was rated "Academically Unacceptable".
  • In 2009-2010, this school was rated "Academically Unacceptable".
  • In 2008-2009, this school was rated "Academically Unacceptable".

About the tests


Texas uses Accountability Ratings to indicate the overall performance of each school and district. The ratings are based on TAKS test results, dropout rates for grades 7 and 8 and school completion rates for grades 9 through 12. Schools and districts rated under standard accountability procedures are designated as Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable or Academically Unacceptable. Schools and districts rated under alternative education accountability (AEA) procedures are designated as either AEA: Academically Acceptable or AEA: Academically Unacceptable.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
Black 58% 14%
Hispanic 39% 48%
White 3% 34%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 0%
Asian/Pacific Islander 0% 4%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Special education 24%N/A10%
Gifted/talented students 4%N/A8%
Limited English proficient (LEP) 7%N/A17%
Economically disadvantaged 91%N/A55%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 12N/A15
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher experience

  This school District averageState average
Beginning teachers 16%N/A8%
1 to 5 years 36%N/A30%
6 to 10 years 15%N/A20%
11 to 20 years 11%N/A23%
21 or more years 23%N/A19%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

4635 E Houston St
San Antonio, TX 78220
Phone: (210) 661-4134

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