Middle Schools in South Texas Independent School District (Isd)

The South Texas Independent School District (ISD) is home to two middle schools serving grades 6 through 8: South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy and South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy. Both schools are high-performing, ranking in the top 10% of Texas middle schools, and boast a 0% dropout rate.

South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy is the clear standout, ranking in the 99th percentile statewide (25th out of 2,335 schools). It consistently outperforms its district peer and state averages in nearly every subject, with a perfect 100% proficiency in English I Reading for two consecutive years. Its student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1 is lower than the district's other school. In contrast, South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy ranks in the 91st percentile and has seen a slight decline in its state ranking. While it also achieves perfect scores in English I Reading and strong results in Biology, it trails Preparatory Academy significantly in mathematics, with a 30-percentage-point gap in 8th grade math proficiency (86.93% vs. 56.97%).

An interesting finding is that Rising Scholars Academy actually spends more per student ($13,891 vs. $13,286) and serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (56.98% vs. 45.39%), yet achieves lower test scores. This suggests the higher spending may be directed toward supporting a more disadvantaged population, but the achievement gap with Preparatory Academy remains. Both schools excel at accelerating students into high school-level End-of-Course (EOC) exams, with both achieving 100% proficiency in English I Reading. For parents, Preparatory Academy offers elite, top-tier academics, while Rising Scholars Academy remains a strong choice, particularly for students who may need additional support in math.