Summary:
The San Elizario Independent School District (Isd) serves 2,754 students across five schools—three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—in a high-poverty area near El Paso, Texas, where over 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The district’s biggest standout is Ann M Garcia-Enriquez Middle, which excels in advanced math: 94% of its 8th graders scored proficient on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, far exceeding the state average of 54%. However, this success does not carry over to San Elizario High School, where only 35% of students are proficient in Algebra I and the graduation rate is 83.5% with a 2.5% dropout rate. Among elementary schools, Alfonso Borrego Senior Elementary has seen the steepest decline, dropping from the 32nd to the 14th percentile in state rankings over three years, while L G Alarcon Elementary shows inconsistent performance—scoring 44% proficient in 3rd grade reading but only 43% in 6th grade math. Josefa L Sambrano Elementary serves younger grades and faces similar economic challenges.
The most critical takeaway is the disconnect between the middle school’s targeted Algebra I program and the overall low performance across the district. For example, at Ann M Garcia-Enriquez Middle, only 13% of 7th graders are proficient in math, while 0% of Spanish-language test-takers at Alfonso Borrego Elementary scored proficient in 3rd grade math. This suggests that while a small group of students is being accelerated, the majority—especially English learners—are falling behind. The district ranks 853rd out of 951 in Texas, earning a 1-star rating, and spends $11,227 per student. Parents should note that Ann M Garcia-Enriquez Middle offers a strong advanced math pathway, but overall academic challenges are significant across all schools.
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