Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Idea Frontier Academy

Q: Is Idea Frontier Academy a good school?

Idea Frontier Academy ranks 3294 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-5

3294^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 29% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Idea Frontier Academy is a K-5 elementary school in Brownsville, TX, serving 675 students as part of the Idea Public Schools charter network, and it has experienced a dramatic decline in academic performance over the last two years, dropping from a 4-star rating (78th percentile) in 2021-2022 to a 1-star rating (29th percentile) in 2025-2026.

This sharp 49-percentile-point drop is the most concerning trend for the school, especially when compared to nearby schools in the Brownsville Independent School District (Isd), which have remained relatively stable. For example, Brite Elementary serves a similar high-poverty community (93% free/reduced lunch) but ranks in the 68th percentile, outperforming Idea Frontier in nearly every grade and subject. The school also has a higher student-to-teacher ratio (20.9:1) compared to nearby Brownsville ISD schools (ranging from 14.2:1 to 17.6:1), which may contribute to its struggles. Additionally, a widening gender achievement gap has emerged, with male students performing at the 22nd percentile (1 star) versus female students at the 37th percentile (2 stars) in 2025-2026.

Despite these challenges, there are bright spots. Fifth graders consistently outperform the district in both Reading and Math, and the school has a strong record in Science, exceeding state averages. This suggests that the upper grades have effective instruction that could be replicated in lower grades. However, 3rd and 4th graders are significantly behind, with only 27.34% of 4th graders proficient in Reading compared to 43.11% in the district. The school also spends less per student (approximately $8,751) than nearby schools like Aiken Elementary ($10,648+), which may limit resources. Idea Frontier has a history of success, including stellar results for At Risk and Special Education students in prior years, so the current decline may be reversible with targeted interventions.

675

Students ?

20.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,268

Per pupil spending ?

92.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2800 S Dakota Ave
Brownsville, TX 78521

(956) 541-2002

District: Idea Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.4%

White:

3.4%

Two or more races:

0.1%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Idea Frontier Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 47th percentile in 2016 → 29th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (39% vs 51% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

!Reading scores 16 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school39%

District avg40%

Texas avg51%

3,294^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From bottom 47% (2016) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

31^st of 62Elementary Schools in the Idea Public Schools

546^th of 951Idea Public Schools among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.0	3294 of 4627	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	52.6	1987 of 4651	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.9	1607 of 4710	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.7	1434 of 4647	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.1	988 of 4581	78.4%	★★★★☆
2021	35.7	2811 of 4578	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.3	2547 of 4479	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.2	1927 of 4359	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.3	1369 of 4329	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	50.4	2286 of 4286	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	62.9	1622 of 4320	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	58.9	1833 of 4260	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	26.1	3572 of 4221	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	43.5	2687 of 4206	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	71.1	1111 of 4095	72.9%	★★★★☆
2010	72.1	974 of 3937	75.3%	★★★★☆
2009	58.1	1822 of 3884	53.1%	★★★☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	89.2	193 of 4461	95.7%	★★★★★
2021	57.0	1382 of 4331	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.0	1959 of 4295	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.8	846 of 4240	80.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	54.8	1141 of 2918	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.2	1212 of 3668	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.5	737 of 3556	79.3%	★★★★☆
2022	77.2	440 of 3487	87.4%	★★★★☆
2021	52.7	1328 of 3446	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.0	2166 of 3333	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.8	1564 of 3226	51.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	38.3	2885 of 4575	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.1	1645 of 3744	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.4	1400 of 4658	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.8	1320 of 4588	71.2%	★★★★☆
2022	71.8	1025 of 4561	77.5%	★★★★☆
2021	29.2	3242 of 4499	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.4	2391 of 4348	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.1	1994 of 4306	53.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	39.1	2834 of 4413	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	64.1	1042 of 3644	71.4%	★★★★☆
2024	69.0	999 of 4465	77.6%	★★★★☆
2023	71.2	880 of 4401	80.0%	★★★★☆
2022	79.6	533 of 4376	87.8%	★★★★☆
2021	43.7	2339 of 4329	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.5	2097 of 4188	49.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.5	1506 of 4168	63.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	43.3	2614 of 4520	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	67.0	871 of 3705	76.5%	★★★★☆
2024	75.8	641 of 4594	86.0%	★★★★☆
2023	78.9	501 of 4521	88.9%	★★★★☆
2022	85.4	292 of 4477	93.5%	★★★★★
2021	52.2	1875 of 4451	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.8	1513 of 4309	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.4	1021 of 4264	76.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	28.3	3576 of 4582	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	62.1	1202 of 3739	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.8	1598 of 4647	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.1	1519 of 4585	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	72.9	1009 of 4563	77.9%	★★★★☆
2021	44.1	2310 of 4498	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.7	2545 of 4357	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.6	1914 of 4319	55.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	42.6	2286 of 4301	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.0	1628 of 3549	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	97.4	37 of 4292	99.1%	★★★★★
2023	66.8	808 of 4086	80.2%	★★★★☆
2022	63.7	917 of 3952	76.8%	★★★★☆
2021	20.6	3522 of 3799	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	35.5	2349 of 3558	34.0%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

At Risk (2022)96th percentile+17 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)61st percentile+4 vs school

Special Education (2026)47th percentile+18 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)42nd percentile+13 vs school

Female (2026)37th percentile+8 vs school

Hispanic (2026)36th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)22nd percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics41%-7 vs state

Reading38%-16 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Idea Frontier Academy and help other families decide.

Rate Idea Frontier Academy

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Idea Frontier Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)		STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)		STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Idea Frontier Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	2800 S Dakota Ave	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 541-2002	675	32	20.9	92.7%	23 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	651 (96.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	32	3294^th of 4627 public elementary schools	28.8%		52.6	1987^th of 4651 public elementary schools	57.3%	1307					34.4	27.3	56.6	35.9	39.6	46.9	$11,268
Garza At Southmost Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5245 Southmost Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 548-8870	524	37	14.2	93.5%	9 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	514 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38.7	2843^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	38.6%		43.4	2541^st of 4651 public elementary schools	45.4%	302					37.9	51.4	46.7	30.3	52.1	41.7	$12,716
Aiken Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6290 Southmost Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 986-5200	630	38	16.7	96.3%	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	624 (99.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61.3	1560^th of 4627 public elementary schools	66.3%		52.1	2022^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	56.5%	462					35.0	68.8	61.8	31.7	60.6	69.6	$11,106
Palm Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7942 Southmost Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 982-3850	294	20	14.3	95.6%	6 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	288 (98.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46.8	2283^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	50.7%		43.1	2560^th of 4651 public elementary schools	45.0%	277					26.2	45.2	57.8	33.3	61.9	56.5	$12,125
Del Castillo - Morningside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1025 Morningside Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 982-2760	526	31	16.9	95.8%	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	518 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38.2	2875^th of 4627 public elementary schools	37.9%		43.1	2564^th of 4651 public elementary schools	44.9%	311					25.4	36.1	45.6	42.9	53.0	51.4	$12,384
El Jardin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6911 Boca Chica Blvd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 831-6000	389	23	16.8	97.4%	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	385 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35.3	3062^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	33.8%		53	1964^th of 4651 public elementary schools	57.8%	1098		50.0		33.3	42.2	42.9	44.2	26.7	44.9	50.0	$10,555
Champion Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4750 Bowie Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 832-6200	710	40	17.6	94.8%	10 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	700 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41.7	2608^th of 4627 public elementary schools	43.6%		53.4	1947^th of 4651 public elementary schools	58.1%	661					33.3	36.9	57.8	35.7	47.6	57.8	$10,531
Cromack - Castaneda Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 Lima St	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 548-8800	823	51	16.1	98.8%	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	820 (99.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46.7	2289^th of 4627 public elementary schools	50.5%		38.9	2848^th of 4651 public elementary schools	38.8%	559	66.7		16.7		53.1	49.1	48.5	43.2	48.1	42.3	$12,261
Brite Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	450 S Browne Ave	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 698-3000	584	37	15.8	93.2%	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	576 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62.7	1481^st of 4627 public elementary schools	68.0%		60.7	1542^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	66.8%	61					54.6	45.5	64.3	56.4	52.3	59.5	$10,639
Vermillion Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6895 Fm 802	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 831-6060	654	42	15.5	97.9%	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	647 (98.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52.7	1971^st of 4627 public elementary schools	57.4%		52.2	2014^th of 4651 public elementary schools	56.7%	43					44.4	55.2	54.6	43.2	50.0	54.6	$10,895

Frequently Asked Questions about Idea Frontier Academy

What district is Idea Frontier Academy in?

Idea Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Idea Frontier Academy?

Students at Idea Frontier Academy are 96% Hispanic, 3% White.

Is Idea Frontier Academy a good school?

Idea Frontier Academy ranks 3294^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Idea Frontier Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 675 students attended Idea Frontier Academy.

Rate Idea Frontier Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

TXTexas Elementary School Rankings

TXTexas District Rankings

Schools in Brownsville, TX

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Idea Frontier Academy!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.