Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)

The Brownsville Independent School District (Isd) serves 49 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, in a predominantly economically disadvantaged area of Texas, where the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents, the standout school is Brownsville Early College High School, which ranks in the 99th percentile statewide with a perfect 100% graduation rate and near-perfect test scores in subjects like Algebra I and Biology, despite 94% of its students being economically disadvantaged. In contrast, other high schools like Hanna Early College High School and Lopez Early College High School struggle with lower graduation rates (around 88%) and higher dropout rates. At the elementary level, Pullam Elementary is a top performer, ranking in the 87th percentile with strong reading and math scores, while Canales Elementary faces significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 9% with critically low proficiency rates. Middle schools show a district-wide weakness in 7th-grade math, with proficiency rates often in the single digits, though advanced coursework like Algebra I sees high success at schools like Stillman Middle.

Key takeaways include a stark divide in performance: while Veterans Memorial Early College High School and Ortiz Elementary prove high-poverty schools can excel, many others like Skinner Elementary and Putegnat Elementary struggle. The "Early College" label does not guarantee quality, as performance varies widely across high schools. Overall, the district ranks in the 63rd percentile statewide, with per-student spending ranging from $8,595 to $16,226, showing no clear link between higher spending and better outcomes.