The top-rated elementary schools in Houston are Mandarin Immersion Magnet School (9.2/10), Valley Oaks EL (9.1/10), and Frostwood EL (9.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 406 elementary public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Houston, Texas has 548 elementary school directory listings spanning 55 school districts. Of 548 elementary schools in Houston, 440 are public schools with a comparable public-model composite score. This ranking includes 406 elementary public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules. 108 (27%) public schools included in this ranking are 7.0 or above. Across all 406 public schools included in this ranking, the average is 5.9/10. Houston has a notable charter school presence, with 67 charter elementary schools (12% of all elementary schools) offering alternatives to traditional public schools. Among 406 elementary public schools included in this ranking and a reported student-teacher ratio, the average is 15.3:1. Our rankings identify Mandarin Immersion Magnet School as the top-rated elementary school in Houston, followed by Valley Oaks EL and Frostwood EL. Schools with enough data are scored on student growth, poverty-adjusted academics, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — using data from the NCES and state education sources.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
This list shows 25 of the 406 elementary public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules in Houston. Learn about our methodology.
Houston ISD
792 students · 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 2% in Texas
Spring Branch ISD
882 students · 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 3% in Texas
Spring Branch ISD
836 students · 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 3% in Texas
Spring Branch ISD
362 students · 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 3% in Texas
Houston ISD
663 students · 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 4% in Texas
Houston ISD
1,131 students · 18.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 4% in Texas
Spring Branch ISD
862 students · 18.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 5% in Texas
In the current MySchoolScout comparison, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School is the top-rated elementary school in Houston with a composite score of 9.2/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
Houston has 548 elementary schools, including 67 charter schools. 440 public schools have a comparable public-model composite score.
Among 406 Houston elementary public schools included in this ranking, the average is 5.9/10.
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Texas, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Texas, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Houston has 67 charter elementary schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
This listicle is one spoke of Houston school rankings. Start from the Houston city hub or the Texas state hub, then return here for this school level.
Houston has a separate ranking listicle for each school level. Open the sibling rankings for the other two levels.
Houston also has a district ranking listicle for metro district comparison. Open the Houston school-district rankings.
Schools with enough data receive a 1–10 composite from growth, poverty-adjusted academics, and environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Scores are computed within Texas. See the methodology page and the Houston city hub for context.
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Best schools
Houston's 899 schools average 4.9 out of 10 and the strongest cluster in a handful of corridors, so the district line your address falls on is worth checking before you settle on a neighborhood.