History

Lamar Elementary was built in 1924. Originally an 8-room schoolhouse, Lamar Elementary underwent construction in 2004, removing portables in order to build an addition to the original school structure.

Despite Lamar being a high-performing school and having a positive reputation in the community, attendance trends over the past decade had been troubling. A steady decline in enrollment could be attributed primarily to an evolving Broadway corridor. Its revitalization has diminished affordable housing options for Lamar families. Old apartment complexes have been replaced by new condominiums. Rent is steadily increasing, making it difficult for families to afford to remain in the neighborhood.

Fortunately, Lamar has already begun to reverse its recent enrollment decline. SAISD and Lamar entered into a formal Professional Development School agreement with Trinity University in May 2013. In the first 4 years of the partnership, the school increased enrollment by 75 percent. This increase is partially attributable to Lamar’s increased visibility both within and outside of the school district through its partnership with Trinity. We currently enroll 370 students.

The Lamar-Trinity partnership focuses on 4 core goals:

• prepare outstanding teacher candidates;
• develop outstanding instructional practices;
• use inquiry as a tool to drive school transformation; and
• improve student learning

Our partnership rests on the commitment to make the school a strong place for everyone’s learning, including teachers as well as children. We have attracted educators from across the city to join us. With a thriving professional learning community and visionary teachers, Lamar is well-positioned to become a nationally recognized leader in elementary education.

From 2013-16, Lamar engaged families, staff, and community members in a visioning process. This included annual community-wide events both to elicit multiple stakeholders ideas and to garner feedback on the emerging vision. In December 2016, the San Antonio ISD school board approved Lamar's in-district charter application, and in Spring 2017 the Texas Education Agency approved $800,000 of start-up grant funds. 

Lamar officially launched as both a neighborhood and district choice school in August 2017. Check out the "What makes Lamar unique?" tab to learn more about Lamar's specific curricular initiatives.