From excellent public and private schools to a variety of higher education institutions, the Friendswood area values quality education and the positive effects it has on the community.
Friendswood Independent School District
Every school year, the Friendswood Independent School District’s goal is to ensure the more than 6,000 students that are in one of the district’s six schools are future-ready to thrive in a global society.
One of the ways the district does this is to ensure the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program is incorporated throughout the K-12 program.
The district includes Friendswood High School, Friendswood Junior High, Bales and Windsong Intermediate Schools, and Cline and Westwood Elementary Schools.
The district’s high school was named one of the top 5% in the nation, boasts a 98% graduation rate and was named the No. 1 school district with college-bound students in the Houston area by the Houston Chronicle.
Other accolades for the district include:
- Named best school district in the Houston area by Niche.
- Earned a Superior Achievement ranking – the state’s highest – under Texas’ School FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas).
- Texas Academic Decathlon District Champions for more than 20 years.
- Highly rated high school and junior high bands.
- Received the highest rating from the Texas Education Association (“Met Standard”).
Clear Creek Independent School District
The district, which serves 42,000 students in two counties and 13 municipalities in the Houston metropolitan area, is one of the 30 largest in the state.
Here is a look at how the district helps students excel at every level:
- Elementary: Students can enjoy an array of academic programs and activities in CCISD’s 26 elementary schools, including art, music, physical education, plus Gifted and Talented and Special Needs programs. Students in grades 4 and 5 receive computers, and there are space-available special opportunities with foreign languages and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In addition, CCISD Early Education provides tuition-based pre-kindergarten programs as well as select early childhood opportunities.
- Intermediate: Students in grades 6-8 are able to participate in athletics, foreign language classes and fine arts activities, among many electives, at the 10 intermediate schools. There are two magnet programs as well – WAVE, which is open to students identified as gifted and talented; and a two Science Magnet schools.
- High school: CCISD offers much more than a traditional high school experience. In addition to five comprehensive high schools and two alternative high schools, the district offers a nationally recognized Early College High School that allows students to earn a high school diploma and college degree in four years. In addition, students can earn credits online or at evening classes through a local higher education institution.
College of the Mainland
The landscape at College of the Mainland is changing as renovations take place at the Student Center and work begins on three new buildings – STEAM/Allied Health, Industrial Careers and a Student Success Center.
Before the new buildings are constructed, crews are finishing up renovations to the Student Center, which sits on the banks of Lake Eckhert on campus. Architects are now completing plans for the construction of the STEAM/Allied Health building and the Student Success Center, to be completed by 2021.
The STEAM building will allow for the necessary expansion of the college’s popular nursing program and house new programs in surgical tech, imaging tech, dental hygienist, physical therapy assistant and communications. The college also plans to add programs in four engineering disciplines – civil, chemical, electrical and mechanical.
The planned Student Success Center will be constructed to replace the existing administration and enrollment center.
The college’s Process Technology program – which is marking its 25th year and was the first of its kind in the country – will be able to expand in the new Industrial Careers building.
For more information about College of the Mainland, visit www.com.edu.
San Jacinto College South
Recognized as one of the top community colleges nationally in the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, San Jacinto College South offers 186 degrees and certificates in 46 technical programs. Associate degree options include computer technicians, diesel mechanics, healthcare vocations, paralegals and audio visual engineers.
The school partners with universities across the state to allow for easy transfer of credits once students achieve an associate degree. In addition, San Jacinto works with business, healthcare and government entities to provide real-world experience through job-training and internship programs for students.
University of Houston-Clear Lake
With new buildings, record enrollment and more degree programs, the University of Houston-Clear Lake is planning for continued growth as a top four-year higher educational institution.
UHCL is one of four institutions in the University of Houston System, with more than 9,000 students and 90 degree programs. Its four colleges concentrate on business, education, human science and humanities, and science and engineering.
Students can attend undergraduate and graduate classes in-person in Clear Lake, Pearland and the Texas Medical Center. There are online classes offered as well. While on the 524-acre campus, students can participate in 100 student organizations and a multitude of events.
Record enrollment was reached in fall 2018, the same school year in which UHCL opened three new buildings.
Lutheran South Academy
Lutheran South Academy is a college prep school located at I-45 and Dixie Farm Road that serves more than 760 students from pre-K through 12th grade. Lutheran South Academy’s mission is to secure the immediate future of their students by preparing them academically for their college years, to secure their extended future by preparing them to be Christian leaders as adults, and to secure their eternal future by developing their relationship with their Lord and Savior.
Students attend the LSA from the Friendswood, Galveston, Clear Lake, Baytown, League City, Pasadena and the Pearland areas. LSA started as a Lutheran High School of Houston 70 years ago (1949) and the school expanded and relocated to add middle school and elementary school in the 1990s. Currently, more than 52 percent of the faculty own advanced degrees and 99 percent of 2018 graduates attended college.
Galloway Christian Academy
The Galloway School is a Friendswood-based Christian school with a 25-year success rate serving students from early preschool and toddlers through eighth grade and has been named the “Best Private School in the Bay Area” because of its accelerated academic program.
In 2017 the school was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Despite this, the school recorded its highest academic scores ever during that year of recovery, started its International Baccalaureate World School journey, and promoted all forms of the arts hosted by experts in their field.
The school’s focus is to grow lifelong, international-minded learners that are inquiring thinkers, caring, and reflective. They do this by offering many unique learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom through the arts, athletics, stem education, Spanish, robotics, academic competitions, and much more. The school has many community partners that support the school in real world learning application. The school is open year-round, offering a well-rounded summer program.