School History
Overview and History
Pat Neff Elementary School is located in the Sharpstown area of Southwest Houston, within a community bordered by Beechnut, Gessner, Bellaire, Fondren, and the Southwest Freeway. The school serves approximately 780 students in grades 2 through 5. Our student population is ethnically diverse, consisting of 80% Hispanic, 10% African American, 6% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 4% White. Approximately 93% of our students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which qualifies Neff as a Title I schoolwide campus.
Our instructional programs include Special Education (Life Skills, TREAK, Resource, and Speech), Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language (ESL), Gifted and Talented, as well as after-school tutorials and enrichment clubs.
At Neff, we are committed to instilling a lifelong love of learning in every student. We recognize and celebrate students who embody our four core values—Nobility, Endurance, Respect, and Self-Discipline—during our monthly Honor Walks. Our after-school clubs are designed to foster creativity, self-reliance, and self-esteem in our students.
To support academic achievement, after-school tutorials are available for students identified as at-risk or in need of additional academic support. These sessions are led by our classroom teachers and are tailored to meet individual student needs.
Neff Elementary has a strong foundation in shared leadership through our Shared Decision-Making Committee (SDMC), which includes the principal, teachers, parents, and community members. Based on district data—including test scores, attendance, and parent surveys—the SDMC has identified the following campus priorities:
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Improve reading, writing, and math skills across all grade levels.
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Increase daily attendance among students and staff.
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Strengthen parental and community engagement.
We believe that the education of our children is a shared responsibility among families, the community, and the school. Open communication and collaboration among all stakeholders are essential to our collective success. Together, Everyone Achieves More!
Campus History
Prior to 2012, Neff Elementary served as a PK–5 campus located on Carvel Lane. In 2012, the school was restructured into two campuses:
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Neff Early Learning Center (PK–1), which remains on Carvel Lane
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Neff Elementary School (Grades 2–5), now located at 8301 Neff Street
Although the two campuses operate independently, they continue to collaborate in service of the Sharpstown community. Neff Elementary is proud to continue its legacy with a dedicated faculty and staff committed to developing lifelong learners.
Pat Morris Neff
(26 November 1871 – 20 January 1952)
28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925
9th President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947
Early life
Born on his family ranch in Coryell County near McGregor, Texas, Neff attended McGregor High School. He received his bachelor's degree from Baylor University in Waco before spending two years teaching at Southwestern Academy in Magnolia, Arkansas. While in Magnolia, Neff taught Harvey C. Couch, who would later become a successful entrepreneur in Arkansas. Upon returning to Texas, he received his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. While studying at the University of Texas Law School, Neff was a close friend of future U. S. Senators Tom Connally and Morris Sheppard. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1899 to 1905, including a term as Speaker. After returning to his law practice in Waco, he served as assistant county attorney and county attorney for McLennan County for six years.
Public Office in Texas
A progressive Democrat, Neff was a strong supporter of Prohibition and was instrumental in the development of the Texas State Parks Board. Pat Neff and his mother, Isabella Neff, donated the land which would become the first state park in Texas, Mother Neff State Park. Neff is notable for his pardon of folk singer Lead Belly in his last days as Governor. Neff was succeeded as governor by Miriam Wallace "Ma" Ferguson, who defeated a stronger-than-usual Republican nominee, George C. Butte, an American jurist who had opposed James E. Ferguson's line item veto of the 1917 University of Texas appropriations bill. After leaving the governorship, Neff served on the Texas Railroad Commission. Governor Ross Sterling then appointed Ernest O. Thompson of Amarillo to succeed Neff when he left the position to become President of Baylor University. Thompson served on the panel for thirty-two years and developed a reputation as an expert on petroleum issues.