Part 3: These Houston high schools are not preparing students enough for college, new report shows

A student’s high school plays an instrumental role in guaranteeing their success later on in life. It is a high school’s responsibility to help prepare students for the next step after graduation, whether that means going to their dream college or joining the workforce.

Houston is home to some of the best schools in the state. But some Houston-area elementary, middle and high schools are not meeting state performance requirements due to low test scores, according to a ranking from Children At Risk, a Houston-based research and education advocacy nonprofit

Using this data, the Chronicle compiled a list of the lowest-performing high schools in the Greater Houston area. These schools all received F letter grades, according to Children at Risk.

Click through the photos above to see the worst-performing Houston area high schools, according to Children at Risk.

Children at Risk’s 2019 school rankings report shows how Texas public schools fared on math and reading state standardized tests while also taking into account student population demographics. Children at Risk used 2017-18 math and reading STAAR scores and college readiness metrics to assign each school a letter grade and region rank.

PART ONE: These Houston-area elementary schools are not up to state standards, report shows

Approximately 1,425 Houston area schools spanning eight counties were included in a second ranking from Children at Risk. Counties include Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

The Houston Chronicle compiled the Houston area school data into a School Report Card, an online database that allows users to see how a certain school or district fared and compare it to others across the region.

According to a Houston Chronicle analysis, the majority of Houston area schools – 28.6 percent, or 406 schools – received a “B” letter grade from Children at Risk. Approximately 232 schools, or 16.3 percent received an “A” letter grade; 369 schools, or 26 percent received a “C” letter grade; 300 schools, or 21.1 percent received a “D” letter grade and only 114 schools, or 8 percent received a failing grade, or an “F.”

PART 2: New report reveals Houston’s worst-performing middle schools

School ratings were based on three factors: raw scores, year-over-year progress and expected performance relative to student poverty levels. High schools ratings were also based on a fourth metric of college readiness. Children at Rick uses participation and performance on American College Testing (ACT,) Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT,) Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests to calculate college readiness levels, according to the Chronicle’s methodology.

Previous year’s showed overall, campuses serving students from wealthier families and specialty schools often performed higher than schools located in high-poverty areas, according to the Chronicle’s analysis.