NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT REPORT
Nationwide, only half of all students from under-resourced communities graduate from high school and only 10% earn a college degree. In a country where a child’s zip code often determines their life trajectory, YES Prep Public Schools proves that different outcomes are possible when students are given access to free, high-quality educational opportunities.
YES Prep — one of the fastest-growing and highest-performing tuition-free public charter school systems in the U.S. — is educating the next generation of local leaders who will uplift and enrich this Southeast Houston community.
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPALS
As YES Prep’s flagship campus, YES Prep Southeast Secondary has built a legacy of excellence that continues to shape our community.
In a community where high school completion rates among adults are low, our passionate teachers and staff work tirelessly to increase college enrollment and success rates. Our students’ success is a testament to their determination and the unwavering support of a school family that believes in them every step of the way. Through our College Initiatives program, offering personalized guidance and low-ratio counseling, we ensure every student is equipped to succeed, whether they choose college or another path.
Southeast Houston should be proud of the young leaders emerging from our school, ready to make a difference.
As one of the first two elementary campuses, YES Prep Southeast Elementary has set a standard of excellence that continues to shape our community and the district.
Our school leads the district in academic achievement and has the highest elementary staff retention. We’ve created a supportive environment where students learn to be leaders, and we prioritize building meaningful relationships with their families, which is crucial to student success.
At Southeast Elementary, we believe a sustainable, vibrant, and joyful community leads to excellence in all areas of education. Each day, we work to uplift the entire Southeast neighborhood, ensuring that our students are prepared to lead and excel both inside and outside the classroom.
“
YES Prep is one of a kind in the ways they reach every family in the communities they serve. From the day the campuses break ground to graduation, the impact on our students and families is phenomenal! I am grateful that this system is spreading throughout District 4! ”
Staci Childs
Texas State Board of Education Member, District 4
Emily Ryans Secondary Principal
Jorge Rodriguez Elementary Principal
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT REPORT
YES PREP SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEAST SECONDARY AT A GLANCE
TOP 2%
TOP 3% u.s. news & world report ranked
93% HISPANIC OR LATINO
83% ELIGIBLE FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH
50% ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
81% FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS
87 2022 TEA RATING
0.6% DROPOUT RATE
1041 AVERAGE SAT SCORE
95% GRADUATION RATE
SOUTHEAST ELEMENTARY AT A GLANCE
86% HISPANIC OR LATINO
46% ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
91 2022 TEA RATING
TOP IN STATE
news & world report
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT REPORT
YES PREP SOUTHEAST
NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE
In the Southeast community, residents face economic challenges, lower educational attainment, and limited access to broadband services.
67% BLACK & HISPANIC
33% EARN LESS THAN $50,000 ANNUALLY 1 IN 8 EARNS UNDER $25K ANNUALLY
25% WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 9%
17% HAVE A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 38%
43% SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 23%
40% LACK BROADBAND ACCESS
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 7%
11% PRE-K ENROLLMENT
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 47%
74% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE
NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 87%
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT REPORT
EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE
Compared to YES Prep Southeast Secondary, nearby school districts show significant gaps in performance. Graduation rates are 5-14% lower, dropout rates are 5-10 times higher, and SAT scores fall 134-154 points below Southeast’s average. College-readiness rates range from less than half to one-fifth of those achieved at Southeast.
Charter schools in the area perform even lower, with some reporting graduation rates as low as 6.7%, dropout rates over 60 times higher, and no college-ready graduates. These results highlight YES Prep Southeast Secondary’s superior academic outcomes and impact.
NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS:
HOUSTON ISD
Patterson Elementary
Accountability rating: A
Chavez High School
Accountability rating: B
• Graduation rate: 81.3%
• Dropout rate: 6.9%
• Avg SAT Score: 907
• College-Ready Grads (reading + math): 18.1%
PASADENA ISD
Young Elementary
Accountability rating: B
Sam Rayburn High
Accountability rating: B
• Graduation rate: 89.8%
• Dropout rate: 3.2%
• Avg SAT Score: 903
• College-Ready Grads (reading + math): 21.7%
South Houston High Accountability rating: C
• Graduation rate: 89.6 %
• Dropout rate: 3.8%
• Avg SAT Score: 887
• College-Ready Grads (reading + math): 17.8%
CHARTER NETWORK
Raul Yzaguirre Schools for SuccessPSTEM Academy Pasadena (PK-5)
Accountability rating: A
Houston Gateway Academy –Evergreen (PK-8)
Accountability rating: A
Beta Academy Flagship (3-12)
Accountability rating: B
KIPP Academy Middle School (5-8)
Accountability rating: B
Texans Can Academy (9-12)
Accountability rating: C
• Graduation rate: 6.7%
• Dropout rate: 36.4%
• Avg SAT Score: 907
• College-Ready Grads (reading + math): 0%
WHY HERE?
For more than 25 years, YES Prep has served historically underserved neighborhoods, addressing the need for high-quality, tuition-free, college-ready education. Southeast Secondary, our first campus, opened in 1998 to provide rigorous academics and prepare students for college.
In response to family demand and data showing low pre-K enrollment and below-average elementary reading and math scores, we opened Southeast Elementary in August 2020. As one of YES Prep’s first elementary campuses, it reflects our belief that college-readiness starts in pre-K and demonstrates the exceptional outcomes possible with access to free, high-quality education.
ACADEMIC OUTCOMES
YES Prep Southeast Secondary achieved a 77% Approaches+ rate on STAAR exams across all subjects in 2024, with strong performances in English II (75% Meets+) and English I (69% Meets+), an exemplary 99.1% passing rate in US History and significant improvements in STAAR Biology (4% increase in Meets, 10% decrease in Did Not Meet).
2% STAAR “MEETS”
3% STAAR “DID NOT MEET”
Southeast Secondary students also passed more than 3,000 Advanced Placement (AP) exams in 2024, with outstanding success in AP Seminar (97%), AP Research (89%), and AP Spanish Language and Culture (85%).
ACADEMIC BENEFITS OF EARLY ENROLLMENT AT YES PREP
For 20 years, YES Prep served students only in grades 6-12. Historically, incoming sixth graders entered YES Prep secondary schools with reading and math skills far behind grade level. State officials report only 1 in 3 third-graders in Texas can read and do math on grade level, which leaves many to struggle throughout their school experience.
The longer a student is with YES Prep, the greater the impact—evidenced by the high percentage of seniors who are college-ready. YES Prep students are better equipped to access the jobs of today and tomorrow, making a positive impact in Houston.
PERCENT OF STUDENTS COLLEGE-READY BY YEARS AT YES
By introducing students to YES Prep’s rigorous curriculum and personalized attention as early as pre-K, communities are seeing a significant increase in the number of students achieving grade-level proficiency by fifth grade. YES Prep third graders consistently outperform incoming sixth graders from non-YES Prep schools exceeding state and regional averages on every exam.
YES PREP SOUTHEAST ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC OUTCOMES
For 2024, Southeast Elementary achieved a 76% Approaches+ rate on STAAR exams across all subjects, with notable performances in fifth grade Reading (54% Meets+) and Math (47% Meets+). The percentage of students meeting standards remained steady at 29%, reflecting consistent outcomes across key areas.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT REPORT
YES PREP SOUTHEAST
HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF
YES Prep provides 166 jobs in the community
81 ELEMENTARY EMPLOYEES
85 SECONDARY EMPLOYEES
6 AVERAGE YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE
SOUTHEAST ALUMNI
2K GRADUATES
367 ALUMNI ENROLLED IN COLLEGE
1K AVERAGE COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES
81% TEACHER RETENTION RATE
5 KINDER EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD RECIPIENTS
20 TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT (TIA) RECIPIENTS
MEALS SERVED
230K BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES & SNACKS SERVED AT ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS
2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR
FAMILY-ORIENTED SCHOOL
13 YES PREP ALUMINI ON STAFF
6 YES PREP PARENTS ON STAFF
RECENT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
YES Prep’s $20 million YES Prep Southeast Elementary School opened in August 2020, is designed to serve 1,000 students and enrich both academic and personal growth.
The state-of-the-art campus includes specialized spaces like a science lab, art and music rooms, special education classrooms, and grade-specific playgrounds.
Safety and innovation are prioritized with enhanced security measures and technology-equipped classrooms, ensuring a secure and inspiring environment for students and staff.
SOUTHEAST STORIES
Gustavo Mireles
Alumnus, Southeast Secondary Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher, Southeast Elementary
Gustavo Mireles, a proud YES Prep Southeast Secondary alum and recipient of the Impact Scholarship, was the first YES Prep student to attend Rhodes College. The child of two immigrant parents, Gustavo saw YES Prep as his opportunity to become the first in his family to attend college.
Now, as a founding teacher at Southeast Elementary, he collaborates with his former educators and inspires the next generation in his bilingual kindergarten classroom, giving back to the community that shaped his future.
YES Prep empowers alumni to achieve their dreams and inspire the next generation.
Luly Castillo
Alumna, Southeast Secondary YES Prep Board Member
Luly Castillo, a member of YES Prep’s founding class at Southeast Secondary, is the first alumna to serve on its Board of Directors. She has championed initiatives to increase Latino leadership, expand the AP curriculum, and establish a PK-12 pipeline for families. Luly also forged partnerships to support students during crises like COVID-19 and hurricanes.
Now an accelerator manager at Halliburton, she mentors YES Prep alumni and continues to advocate for community collaboration to build a brighter future.
Together, the Southeast community empowers itself for a brighter future.
Patrick Adre
Seventh-Grade English Language Arts Teacher, Southeast Secondary
Patrick Adre, an award-winning educator with nine years at YES Prep Southeast Secondary, is known for his student-centered approach, strong relationships, and innovative teaching methods. By connecting lessons to real-life experiences, Patrick inspires students and sets a high standard for educators across the district. His dedication and impact extend beyond the classroom, benefiting the YES Prep educators.
Teaching and dedication inspire students and set the standard for teaching excellence.
SOUTHEAST STUDENT LIFE
Extracurricular activities at Southeast Elementary and Secondary are designed to engage students and develop their academic, athletic, leadership, and creative skills while fostering a sense of community and collaboration. From intramural sports to STEM programs and creative arts, there’s something for every student to explore and thrive in beyond the classroom.
To learn more about events, activities, and the latest news, follow our schools on social media and visit their websites:
Southeast Elementary
507 Crenshaw Rd. Houston, Texas 77034 yessoutheastes
southeastes.yesprep.org
Southeast Secondary
353 Crenshaw Rd. Houston, Texas 77034
yesprepsoutheast ypsoutheast
southeast.yesprep.org
