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Ranked #8 in Best High Schools in Houston, TX

Public high school · Houston ISD · Houston, Texas

Challenge Early College H S

Challenge Early College H S rates 8.0, among the strongest high schools in Houston ISD: the district's rated median is 6.2 and the Houston-area median is 5.9.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.0this school

8.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Houston ISD median is 6.2; the Houston area median is 5.9.

#1,176 of 8,584 schools in Texas · Houston ISD: 45 high schools rated, median 6.2 · Houston area: 270 high schools rated, median 5.9

The brief

I'm choosing a school for

A Houston ISD high school where students score 47 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,176 of 8,584 schools in Texas and 68 of 272 in Houston ISD.

Challenge Early College H S is listed in Houston ISD, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math79%34 points above the Texas average of 45%113 students tested · 2025 STAAR
Reading95%40 points above the Texas average of 55%242 students tested · 2025 STAAR
Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 23 points since 2020, reaching 87% in 2025.2025 STAAR; 30 test records from TX state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.6
25% of the rating
Academics
9.9
25% of the rating
College Readiness
9.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
3.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 85% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 94% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 77081; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Challenge Early College H S and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$42,228
Median home value
$245,200
Median rent
$990/mo
College educated
19.5%
Homeownership
6.5%
Poverty rate
33.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 77081; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
46
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
47
Some Transit
Bike Score
44
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
4,701/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Houston. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Houston), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
88.1% participation · state average 2.4 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
84%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Challenge Early College H Sthis school
    8.0
  2. 7.3Compare →
  3. 7.1Compare →
  4. 6.5Compare →
  5. Lamar H S2.3 mi
    5.4Compare →
  6. Ser-Ninos Charter High1.3 mi · charter
    5.0Compare →
  7. 4.6Compare →
  8. 3.7Compare →
  9. 2.4Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Challenge Early College H S.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Challenge Early College H S serve?

Challenge Early College H S serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Challenge Early College H S?

Challenge Early College H S has an enrollment of approximately 480 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenge Early College H S?

The student-teacher ratio at Challenge Early College H S is 21.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Challenge Early College H S rank in TX?

Challenge Early College H S ranks #1,176 of 8,584 schools in TX.

What is Challenge Early College H S's MySchoolScout rating?

Challenge Early College H S has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Challenge Early College H S?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Challenge Early College H S has 85% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 94% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Challenge Early College H S a charter school?

No, Challenge Early College H S is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Challenge Early College H S a Title I school?

No, Challenge Early College H S is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Challenge Early College H S?

84.0% of students at Challenge Early College H S qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
480
Student-teacher ratio
21.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
22
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Harris County
4-year graduation
95%+
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#68 of 272
Schools in district
274
District spending per student
$13,072
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
27.0%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 77081)
51,366
Area average commute
29.3 min
Area median age
28.4

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Texas Education Agency, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.