Spring Independent School District is a school district based in the Gordon M. Anderson Leadership Center in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States."Board Calls for Bond Election on May 12 ." Springboard News (Spring Independent School District). March 2007. Vol. 15, No. 8. Retrieved March 27, 2011. It is located in north Harris County.Zaveri, Mihir and Ericka Mellon. "Spring ISD finds mass scheduling errors, scrambles to help seniors graduate." Houston Chronicle. February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
The district serves over 34,000 pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade students in a diverse district located north of downtown Houston in a suburban area of Harris County that spans . As of May 2023, the district's ethnic breakdown is 51.6 percent Hispanic, 38.0 percent African American, 4.7 percent White and 2.0 percent Asian.
Spring ISD serves a small portion of Houston,Map of the Houston city limits. City of Houston. Retrieved on January 2, 2019. and portions of unincorporated Harris County including the community of Spring.
Spring ISD earned an overall "B" rating under the Texas Education Agency's accountability ratings system for the 2021-2022 school year. More than half of its campuses earned an "A" or "B" rating, with the district earning a cumulative score of 81.
History Spring ISD formed in 1935 from the combination of the Harrell Common School District and the Spring Common School District."75 Years of Education, 1935-2010." Spring Independent School District. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
The district's demographics changed as time passed. In the 1995–1996 school year the district had 28% low-income students. Its racial demographics were 56% White, 20% Black, and 18% Hispanic.Mellon, Ericka. "SUBURBAN SECESSION / Neighbors petition to join Klein / Northgate Forest residents complain of lower property values and performance with Spring" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday April 5, 2007. B1MetFront. In the 2002-2003 school year the low income percentage was 43.9%. See graph In the 2005-2006 school year the district had 55% low-income students. The demographics included 39% Black, 33% Hispanic, and 23% White. These demographic changes caused tension as, in 2007, residents of Northgate Forest unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw from Spring ISD.Spencer, Jason. "A new kind of white flight?" Houston Chronicle. March 12, 2007. By 2012-2013 the percentage of low income students was 73.2%.
In 2005, there were plans to rearrange the attendance boundaries of several elementary schools due to higher than anticipated growth.
In 2006, its two high schools, Spring and Westfield, had a combined population of 7,500. Dr. Robert Sanborn, the president and CEO of the organization Children at Risk, said that Spring ISD should have had schools in the top ten high schools featured in the Houston Press article "These Kids Go to the Best Public High School in Houston" as Humble ISD and Spring Branch ISD did. Instead, both Spring ISD schools ranked in the "Tier Two" list.Spivak, Todd. "The Also-Rans." Houston Press. March 2, 2006. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
In 2007, the district held a bond election.
In 2008 Spring ISD's virtual school opened.Sanz, Alex. "Virtual school goes online in Spring ." Texas Cable News. Friday August 22, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
Northgate Forest secession proposal Northgate Forest, a subdivision, garnered attention all over the Houston area when 190 residents filed a petition to withdraw from Spring Independent School District and join neighboring Klein Independent School District. The petition for detachment began circulating in December 2006, after Northgate residents helped defeat a bond issue for the district that November. Northgate Forest's primary complaints were that the district's SAT and TAKS scores had been declining consistently in recent years, that the district was spending money inefficiently, and that taxes were too high. Residents cited a section of the Texas Education Code that allows a given area to secede from the school district they are zoned to if another district will agree to absorb them. Jim McIngvale, an area resident and salesman also known as "Mattress Mac", said that he disagreed with the proposal.
In April 2007, the Klein ISD Board of Trustees denied Northgate's petition for detachment, shortly after Spring ISD unanimously rejected the proposal. Klein ISD stated that the petition did not fulfill all the legal requirements stipulated by the Texas Education Agency for the detachment to be valid. A small contingent of Northgate residents filed a new claim immediately after. Both school districts involved have declared they view the matter as closed.Mellon, Ericka. "Spring subdivision staying in current district - for now / Northgate wants to join Klein ISD, but its detachment petition is denied" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Friday April 6, 2007. B3.Jackson, Kim. "Texas Education Agency to hear Northgate Forest detachment petition" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday April 26, 2007. ThisWeek 8."Spring ISD Board Rejects Northgate Petition" (Archive). Spring Independent School District. April 5, 2007.
The spokesperson for the group, Tom Mathews, said in 2007 that 45 school-aged children resided in the community. Seven attended Spring ISD schools, and the rest attended private schools. According to Mathews, the schools were low performing, so most parents did not send their children to the zoned schools.
2010s and 2020s ExxonMobil's offices in the Spring area were being established around 2015, contributing to growth in the Spring area.
In February 2017 the district proposed building one new middle school and one ninth grade center for each of its comprehensive high schools, as well as redrawing the attendance boundaries of its middle schools and high schools; all of the changes would take effect by the 2020-2021 school year. The district plans to use Interstate 45 as a boundary for its middle schools. According to the proposed 2020-2021 high school map, the eastern portion of the Spring census-designated place will be reassigned from Spring High School to Dekaney High School."2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Spring CDP, TX." United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 18, 2017. Page 1, Page 2, Page 3"High School Attendance Zone 2017-2018." Spring Independent School District. Retrieved on April 18, 2017."High School Attendance Zone 2020-2021." Spring Independent School District. Retrieved on April 18, 2017. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas the district delayed the high school boundary changes until at least 2022-2023.
Schools All of the schools are located in unincorporated Harris County.
Elementary schools George E. Anderson Elementary School Anderson, which opened in 1979, was named after a board member. It was a 1989-90 National Blue Ribbon School. Bammel Elementary School, home of the Bulldogs Bammel, the second Spring ISD elementary school, opened in 1965. It was named after the Charly Bammel family. In 2010 the school's current two-story facility opened. Joseph S. Beneke Elementary School, home of the Bears Beneke, which opened in 1986, was named after a former board member. Carolee Booker Elementary School, home of the Bengals Booker, which opened in 2008, is named after Carolee Booker Jordan King, a teacher. Chet Burchett Elementary School, home of the Bobcats Opened in August 2005,"Chet Burchett Elementary School." Burchett Elementary School. Retrieved December 5, 2008. Burchett is named after a former board member. B. F. Clark Primary School (PreK-1st), home of the Cats Clark Elementary School opened in 1991. It was named after a former SISD employee who served as a bus driver, coach, counselor, textbook custodian, principal, and teacher. In 2005 Clark Primary and Intermediate together had about 1,500 students, which meant the school was at capacity. B. F. Clark Intermediate School (2nd-5th), home of the Cats Opened in 2003, Clark Intermediate is across the street from and has the same namesake as Clark Primary. Milton Cooper Elementary School, home of the Cowboys Cooper, which opened in 2005, is named after a former SISD administrator. Ralph Eickenroht Elementary School The school, which opened in 2009, is named after a former music teacher. Heritage Elementary School, home of the Husky Opened in 2000, Heritage is SISD's 15th elementary school. Heritage was named to reflect upon the ethnic heritages of the students and to honor the surrounding community. Pearl M. Hirsch Elementary School, home of the Hawks Hirsch opened in 1978 and was named after a Spring ISD teacher. R.J. Hoyland Elementary School (opening August 2009) Hoyland, which opened in 2009, is named after Dr. R.J. Hoyland III, a board member. Mildred I. Jenkins Elementary School, home of the Jaguars Jenkins, which opened in 1976, was named after a school nurse. Donna C. Lewis Elementary School Lewis, which opened in 2006, is named after a longtime volunteer. Joan Link Elementary School, home of the Leopards Link opened in 1982. It was named after the secretary of the SISD superintendent and board of trustees. Helen Major Elementary School, home of the AllStars Major, which opened in 2009, is named after a teacher. Gloria Marshall Elementary School, home of the Marlins Marshall, which opened in 2011, was named after a Spring ISD administrator who served as a teacher and principal. It is the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold-certified school in SISD. Ginger McNabb Elementary School, home of the Knights McNabb, which opened in 2006, is named after a teacher. Otto H. Meyer Elementary School, home of the Mustangs Meyer, which opened in 1976, was named to honor Otto H. Meyer and Avalt H. Meyer, who served on the SISD board of trustees. As of 2005 the school had an official capacity of 837 students. The school had over 20 portable buildings in 2005 as it had 1,163 students that year. Northgate Crossing Elementary School, home of the Navigators The school, which opened in 2008, is named after the Northgate Crossing neighborhood. Ponderosa Elementary School, home of the Ponies Ponderosa, which opened in 1970, is named after its subdivision. In 2005 the school had 730 students, making the school at capacity. As of 2010 it is one of three two-story elementary schools in SISD. Pat Reynolds Elementary School, home of the Armadillos The school opened in 1972 as Oak Creek Elementary School, after the subdivision. It was renamed in 2005 after an SISD administrator. Salyers Elementary School, home of the Opened in 1959 as Spring Elementary School, it was the first dedicated elementary school of Spring ISD."About Salyers Elementary School." Salyers Elementary School. Retrieved December 5, 2008. It was also the first Spring ISD facility to be air conditioned. It was renamed in 1986, after J.O. Salyers, a board member, and Gertie Mae Salyers, a PTA member. The new location was built in 2003. Lewis Eugene Smith Elementary School Smith opened in 1986. Its namesake served as a business teacher, the principal of Spring High School, and an assistant superintendent. Deloras E. Thompson Elementary School, home of the Timberwolves Thompson opened in 1996. It was named after a board member. Cleo Wadley became the principal in 2013. John A. Winship Elementary School, home of the Wildcats Winship, which opened in 1972, was named after former superintendent John Winship. Winship Elementary School's classes began in the northern hemisphere fall 1972; the Winship campus opened on December 15 of that year."About Winship Elementary." Winship Elementary School. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
Middle schools Zoned schools Rickey C. Bailey Middle School, home of the Buccaneers