Summary:
The Weslaco Independent School District (Isd) serves approximately 20 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, a predominantly low-income area where the average rate of students receiving free or reduced lunch is around 83%.
For parents, the standout elementary school is Memorial Elementary, which consistently ranks in the top 25% of Texas elementary schools and achieves test scores well above district and state averages, despite having the lowest economic disadvantage rate in the district (65.46%). In contrast, Rodolfo Rudy Silva Junior Elementary is the lowest-performing elementary school, ranking in the bottom 20% of Texas schools. Among middle schools, Central Middle is the top performer, with strong math scores and 100% proficiency on advanced Algebra I and English I exams, while Mary Hoge Middle struggles, particularly in math where only 11% of 7th graders are proficient. At the high school level, Weslaco High School is improving and outperforms the district average, while Weslaco East High School is declining and underperforms. The Career And College Development Center and Hidalgo County Boot Camp serve specialized student populations with significant academic challenges.
A key takeaway is that higher per-student spending does not guarantee success—Memorial Elementary spends the least ($9,717 per student) yet achieves the best results, while Pfc Mario Ybarra Elementary spends more ($12,181) but ranks lower. Additionally, there is a systemic "middle school math gap," with district-wide 7th-grade math proficiency averaging only 18%, a sharp drop from elementary levels. Overall, the district ranks in the 45th percentile statewide, with a 94% graduation rate and a 0.9% dropout rate.
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