Enrollment
357
Elementary
DISTRICT 515 · STATE 519
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HOUSTON ISD·NCES 482364002554
Petersen Elementary School
14404 WATERLOO DR, HOUSTON, TX 77045 · (713) 434-5630 · Harris County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY11-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL357 STUDENTS
B
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 61% of Texas public elementary schools
- C+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- A-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- B+Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Texas public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
14.9:1
24 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.5:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
96%
343 students
DISTRICT 84% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 44 | 12% |
| Kindergarten | 45 | 13% |
| Grade 1 | 34 | 10% |
| Grade 2 | 53 | 15% |
| Grade 3 | 61 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 63 | 18% |
| Grade 5 | 57 | 16% |
This year's kindergarten class (45) is 21% smaller than its 5th grade class (57).
Student demographics
41%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 56% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Petersen Elementary School→Lawson Middle School
Based on published attendance-zone data from HOUSTON ISD. Zones change; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
47.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +27.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
48.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +24.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 47 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 48 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 27 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 24 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 23.0% | 24.0% | 18.0% | 35.0% |
| Mathematics | 21.0% | 27.0% | 21.0% | 31.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 47.0% | 48.0% |
| 2024-25 | 50.0% | 45.0% |
| 2023-24 | 44.0% | 44.0% |
| 2022-23 | 35.0% | 35.0% |
| 2021-22 | 43.0% | 45.0% |
| 2020-21 | 20.0% | 24.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
40.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
32.7%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+7.9pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 41% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 33% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Petersen Elementary School
Petersen Elementary School's state test result (40.5% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersen Elementary School this school | 357 | 96.1% | 40.5% |
| T G Terry Elementary School DALLAS | 352 | 96.3% | 39.6% |
| The Varnett School - Northeast HOUSTON | 354 | 99.2% | 29.2% |
| Harlean Beal Elementary School FORT WORTH | 333 | 95.2% | 28.4% |
| Esperanza Medrano Elementary School DALLAS | 349 | 96.3% | 30.5% |
| W A Blair Elementary School DALLAS | 367 | 97.5% | 27.6% |
Matched among Texas elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Petersen Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Harris County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 40.5% | #2,523 of 4,401 | #331 of 624 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 48.0% | #1,965 of 4,466 ▲ 176 | #268 of 625 ▲ 30 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 47.0% | #2,886 of 4,466 ▼ 420 | #392 of 625 ▼ 62 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +12.5pp | #1,126 of 3,998 | #160 of 603 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 357 | #3,823 of 4,938 | #576 of 682 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #2,337 of 4,622 | #313 of 657 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 41.1% | #2,997 of 4,628 | #418 of 657 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 96.1% | #379 of 4,789 | #111 of 671 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -21.9% | #1,027 of 2,838 | #197 of 441 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
357
-32 (-8%) vs 2020
-23% since 1990-91, when it was 461
Student : Teacher
14.9:1
was 13.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 357 | 24 | 14.9:1 | 96% (343) |
| 2023-24 | 361 | 26 | 13.9:1 | 97% (351) |
| 2022-23 | 376 | 28 | 13.4:1 | 95% (359) |
| 2020-21 | 389 | 30 | 13.0:1 | 94% (365) |
| 2017-18 | 457 | 29 | 15.8:1 | 94% (428) |
| 2015-16 | 530 | 34 | 15.6:1 | 98% (517) |
| 2010-11 | 672 | 42 | 16.0:1 | 57% (384) |
| 2000-01 | 602 | 31 | 19.4:1 | 91% (545) |
| 1990-91 | 461 | 29 | 15.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Petersen Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students down 22% (457 to 357); teachers down 17% (29 to 24).
About Petersen Elementary School
Petersen Elementary School is a low-enrollment elementary school serving families in HOUSTON, Texas. School enrollment was 357 students in 2024-25, in pre-K through 5. The average among elementary schools in Texas is roughly 519 students; this school is 31% smaller than that.
HOUSTON ISD, which runs Petersen Elementary School, has 273 schools and 176,727 students.
Roughly 73% of students at Petersen Elementary School are Hispanic. Enrollment also includes 25% Black. Among people living in Harris County, the Hispanic share is about 44%. The school's diversity index is 41%, meaning two students picked at random have a 41% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
Petersen Elementary School counts 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 14.9 students for each one. That matches the 15.1:1 average for elementary schools in Texas fairly closely. About 96% of enrolled students meet the income rules for free or reduced-price lunch. By comparison, the figure for public schools in Harris County is 70%.
Measured against Texas public elementary schools, Petersen Elementary School receives a B. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
The allk12 BeatsExpectations score for Petersen Elementary School is +7.9 points: 40.5% actual, 32.7% predicted.
Harris County has these Census figures: the median household income is $74,983, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 34%, and about 13% of people live in poverty. In all, Harris County has 1,205 public schools and roughly 886,911 students.
The closest public school to Petersen Elementary School is King Early Childhood Center, about 0.7 miles away. Counting only straight-line distance, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles. In a group of 7 nearby schools with scores, Petersen Elementary School ranks 2nd on average proficiency.
Petersen Elementary School is coded as City: Large in federal locale data.
Petersen Elementary School's enrollment dropped from 389 in 2020-21 to 357 in 2024-25. In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 13.0:1; by 2024-25 it was 14.9:1.
Posts about science fairs, picture day, and bus routes are welcome on this page. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Harris County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
4,838,303
Census ACS
Median income
$74,983
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
34%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
13%
Below federal line
Schools in county
1,205
886,911 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in HOUSTON ISD
- Texas Connections Academy at HoustonCombined · 8,641 students
- Bellaire High SchoolHigh · 3,216 students
- Lamar High SchoolHigh · 2,968 students
- Westside High SchoolHigh · 2,729 students
- Heights High SchoolHigh · 2,426 students
- Houston Math Science and Technology CenterHigh · 2,396 students
Other schools in HOUSTON
- Texas Connections Academy at HoustonCombined · 8,641 students
- North Shore Senior HighHigh · 4,284 students
- Elsik High SchoolHigh · 4,057 students
- Summer Creek High SchoolHigh · 3,972 students
- Hastings High SchoolHigh · 3,786 students
- C E King High SchoolHigh · 3,716 students
Nearby schools
- King Early Childhood Center0.7 mi · 299
- Montgomery Elementary School0.7 mi · 373
- R D S P D0.8 mi · 46
- Madison High School1.0 mi · 1,588
- Almeda Elementary School1.3 mi · 707
- YES Prep - Southwest1.3 mi · 1,060
Frequently asked questions
About Petersen Elementary SchoolHow large is Petersen Elementary School?
Petersen Elementary School enrolls approximately 357 students in grades PK-05.
What age range does Petersen Elementary School serve?
Petersen Elementary School serves students from grade PK through grade 05.
How many students per teacher at Petersen Elementary School?
Approximately 14.9:1 students per teacher at Petersen Elementary School.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Petersen Elementary School?
At Petersen Elementary School, the student body is approximately 0% White, 73% Hispanic, 25% Black, 1% Asian, 0% Two or more.
Is Petersen Elementary School public or private?
Petersen Elementary School is a public K-12 school, overseen by HOUSTON ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.