McAllen Independent School District (Isd)

The McAllen Independent School District (Isd) serves 30 schools in Texas, including 18 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 5 high schools, and 1 alternative school, and ranks in the 74th percentile statewide. The district stands out for its strong 98.3% graduation rate and very low 0.1% dropout rate, but performance varies widely across schools, making it important for parents to look closely at individual options.

The district’s standout is Achieve Early College High School, a 5-star school ranking in the 97th percentile with 90%+ proficiency in core subjects and a 100% graduation rate. In contrast, the three comprehensive high schools—McAllen High School, Memorial High School, and Rowe High School—are solidly average, ranking in the 50th-67th percentile. At the middle school level, Morris Middle is a consistent high-performer with 5-star ratings and 85% reading proficiency, while Travis Middle struggles with only 16.67% math proficiency despite high spending. Elementary schools show a similar split: Gonzalez Elementary ranks in the 91st percentile with low spending, while Wilson Elementary ranks in the bottom 25th percentile with critically low science and math scores.

A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee success—Gonzalez Elementary spends just $8,864 per student but outperforms Travis Middle, which spends $13,889. Additionally, Thigpen-Zavala Elementary proves that high poverty (96.6% economically disadvantaged) does not prevent high performance, ranking in the 87th percentile. However, a "middle school slump" is evident, as proficiency rates often drop after elementary school, and the district excels at accelerating top math students while the general math curriculum lags behind.