Clark Intermediate earned the top spot among Spring-area schools in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report elementary school rankings, placing No. 201 out of 4,782 ranked Texas schools.

The grades 5-6 campus on Trench Lane scored 95.82 out of 100. Eighty-one percent of its students scored at or above the proficient level in math, and 78% hit that mark in reading, according to U.S. News. Both figures topped the Conroe ISD district averages of 57% in math and 63% in reading.

Hines Elementary, a PK-4 campus on Woodbridge Cove Drive, came in close behind at No. 234 with a 95.13 overall score. Hines posted 76% math proficiency and 82% reading proficiency. The school enrolls 902 students and has a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio.

Clark Intermediate has 913 students, 60 full-time teachers and a 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio. All 60 teachers are certified, according to U.S. News. The publication rated Clark's math performance as "well above expectations" and its reading performance as "somewhat above expectations."

The rankings weigh four factors equally at 25% each: math proficiency, math performance, reading proficiency and reading performance. Half the formula measures raw test scores. The other half factors in socioeconomic demographics. The assessment data comes from the 2023-2024 school year.

Conroe ISD, which operates both campuses, earned an overall B rating and a score of 85 for the third straight year in the 2026 Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability ratings. Of the district's 66 rated campuses, 22 earned an A and 26 earned a B, according to the district.

Superintendent Dr. David Vinson, in the district's accountability announcement, said the results show room for growth. "An overall B rating provides a strong foundation, but it is not our destination," Vinson said.

The district's Drive 2 90 initiative challenges every campus to reach an accountability score of 90 or higher by the 2027-2028 school year, according to Conroe ISD.

Texas top 10 elementary schools (2027 U.S. News)

  1. Spring Branch Academic Institute, Houston (grades 1-12)
  2. Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy, Dallas (grades 4-8)
  3. School for the Highly Gifted, Grand Prairie (grades 1-8)
  4. T.H. Rogers School, Houston (grades K-12)
  5. William B. Travis Vanguard Academy, Dallas (grades 4-8)
  6. Hudson Elementary, Longview (grades 1-5)
  7. Canyon Creek Elementary, Austin (grades K-5)
  8. Martha & Josh Morriss Math & Engineering Elementary, Texarkana (grades K-5)
  9. Cactus Ranch Elementary, Round Rock (grades PK-5)
  10. Windsor Park G/T, Corpus Christi (grades 1-5)

Clark Intermediate's No. 201 statewide finish puts it in the top 5% of all ranked Texas elementary schools.