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John F Kennedy Elementary

Q: Is John F Kennedy Elementary a good school?

John F Kennedy Elementary ranks 2262 nd of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

2262^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

John F Kennedy Elementary in Penitas, TX, is a PK-5 campus serving 676 students within the La Joya Independent School District (Isd), where over 83% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a high-poverty community.

This school stands out as the highest-ranked elementary school in its immediate area, outperforming nearby campuses like Leo J Leo Elementary and Dr Maria Palmira Mendiola Elementary by a wide margin. Its strongest academic area is math, where 3rd and 4th graders consistently beat both district and state averages. For example, 52% of 3rd graders were proficient in math, compared to just 9% at Leo J Leo Elementary. The school also excels at serving students from low-income backgrounds, ranking in the 82nd percentile statewide for this group in 2023-2024. However, recent years show a decline from a peak in 2022-2023, when the school ranked in the 76th percentile. Scores have dropped across the board, most notably in 5th grade math, which fell from 69% proficiency to 40% in three years. Meanwhile, nearby Tabasco Elementary has remained more stable and is closing the gap.

A unique strength is the school’s bilingual program. In 2022-2023, 80% of 4th graders taking the Spanish reading test were proficient, compared to just 42% taking the English test, showing strong literacy development in students’ native language. The school also struggles with its special education students, ranking in the 38th percentile for this group. For families considering options, Idea La Joya Academy, a nearby charter school, ranks in the 4th percentile, making John F Kennedy Elementary a dramatically stronger academic choice in the area.

676

Students ?

16.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,538

Per pupil spending ?

83.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1801 N Diamond Ave
Penitas, TX 78576

(956) 323-2330

District: La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend John F Kennedy Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cesar Chavez Middle
High:	Jimmy Carter Early College High School
	La Joya High School
	Thelma Rosa Salinas Stem Early College High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

100.0%

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Compare John F Kennedy Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 56th percentile in 2016 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Texas median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 5 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg45%

Texas avg51%

2,262^nd of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 5 pts since 2016

From top 44% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 21Elementary Schools in the La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

583^rd of 951La Joya Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.1	2262 of 4627	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.7	1685 of 4651	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.4	1787 of 4710	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	71.7	1093 of 4647	76.5%	★★★★☆
2022	55.9	1818 of 4581	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.0	2564 of 4578	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	72.8	968 of 4479	78.4%	★★★★☆
2018	77.5	759 of 4359	82.6%	★★★★☆
2017	73.1	945 of 4329	78.2%	★★★★☆
2016	58.3	1872 of 4286	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	76.4	940 of 4320	78.2%	★★★★☆
2014	66.5	1389 of 4260	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.7	1457 of 4221	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	52.7	2114 of 4206	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	62.5	1671 of 4095	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.2	1460 of 3937	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	58.0	1832 of 3884	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	63.6	1444 of 3768	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	58.1	1788 of 3724	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	55.6	1748 of 3476	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	53.8	1831 of 3475	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	55.3	1738 of 3465	49.8%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	68.3	923 of 4461	79.3%	★★★★☆
2021	39.0	2655 of 4331	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	75.5	583 of 4295	86.4%	★★★★☆
2018	83.3	335 of 4240	92.1%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	49.0	1366 of 2918	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.2	1966 of 3668	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.1	1159 of 3556	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.8	1953 of 3487	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.7	2261 of 3446	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	81.9	276 of 3333	91.7%	★★★★★
2018	87.4	147 of 3226	95.4%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	46.9	2303 of 4575	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	56.6	1443 of 3744	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.5	1721 of 4658	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.0	1181 of 4588	74.3%	★★★★☆
2022	57.6	1692 of 4561	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.6	2436 of 4499	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	74.3	827 of 4348	81.0%	★★★★☆
2018	77.0	744 of 4306	82.7%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	44.2	2232 of 3075	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	60.4	1247 of 2619	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.2	1329 of 2980	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.9	1700 of 2958	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	64.2	1226 of 3006	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.4	859 of 3184	73.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.3	531 of 3106	82.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	1832 of 4413	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.9	1049 of 3644	71.2%	★★★★☆
2024	63.9	1243 of 4465	72.2%	★★★★☆
2023	78.2	593 of 4401	86.5%	★★★★☆
2022	63.2	1267 of 4376	71.0%	★★★★☆
2021	47.4	2100 of 4329	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.5	511 of 4188	87.8%	★★★★☆
2018	83.1	386 of 4168	90.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	60.2	1423 of 4520	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	66.5	900 of 3705	75.7%	★★★★☆
2024	71.9	826 of 4594	82.0%	★★★★☆
2023	82.3	385 of 4521	91.5%	★★★★★
2022	67.2	1035 of 4477	76.9%	★★★★☆
2021	44.9	2394 of 4451	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	79.1	432 of 4309	90.0%	★★★★☆
2018	85.8	247 of 4264	94.2%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.0	2315 of 4582	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.4	1518 of 3739	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.7	2139 of 4647	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.2	1047 of 4585	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	52.5	2028 of 4563	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.1	2734 of 4498	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.8	1062 of 4357	75.6%	★★★★☆
2018	74.2	845 of 4319	80.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	49.6	1766 of 4301	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	38.3	2218 of 3549	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.1	2436 of 4292	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	75.3	516 of 4086	87.4%	★★★★☆
2022	40.3	2260 of 3952	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.9	2813 of 3799	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.6	3151 of 3684	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	58.6	975 of 3558	72.6%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

At Risk (2022)79th percentile+19 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)69th percentile+17 vs school

Special Education (2026)59th percentile+8 vs school

Hispanic (2026)58th percentile+7 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)53rd percentile-11 vs school

Female (2026)50th percentile~ school

Male (2026)49th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2026)27th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics49%~ state avg

Reading46%-8 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, January 15, 2012

I EXTREMELY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS SCHOOL TO ANY PARENT!!! FRONT DESK IS VERY RUDE, STAFF IS POOR EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF TEACHERS THAT HAVE HELPED MY SON PROGRESS!! SINCE HE'S 1st YEAR AT JFK WAS TERRIBLE!!!! HE'S TEACHER WHO WAS MY TEACHER AS WELL WHEN I WAS IN 3RD GRADE WAS HORRIBLE!!! YELLED AT THEM, SAID SHE WAS GONNA CALL THE COPS ON THEM, LET MY SON & OTHER STUDENTS THAT WERE NOT THAT ADVANCED PLAY THE WHOLE YEAR WITH OUT TEACHING THEM ANYTHING!!!ONLY SAT DOWN WITH THE STUDENTS THAT KNEW THE BASICS!!! THEREFORE MY SON HAS BEEN STRUGGLING EVER SINCE, HE'S SELF-ESTEEM IS DOWN, HE'S WORDS; "MOM, HOW COME I CANT READ OR WRITE JUST LIKE MY FRIENDS? THEY KNOW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING & FAST & I CANT!!" THAT JUST TEARS MY HEART APART EVERY SINGLE DAY I SEE HIM STRUGGLE, IT ONLY REMINDS ME THAT THIS SCHOOL IS NOT WORTH IT & THERFORE IVE DECIDED TO TRANSFER HIM!!! IVE HAD SO MANY MEETINGS WITH THE PRINCIPAL WITH THE FIRST ONE & THE ONE PRESENT, NONE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIX ANY PROBLEMS!!! THEY JUST PROMISE BUT NEVER GET NOTHING DONE!!! THE LAST INCIDENT MY SON WAS BEING BULLIED!!!!! ITS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS, AND LIKE ALWAYS NO ONE IS NEVER AROUND TO SEE WHAT HAPPEND!!! SO MUCH MORE TO SAY, NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO WRITE!! I STRONGLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS SCHOOL!!!!! Close Quote

Schools Near John F Kennedy Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)			STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
John F Kennedy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 N Diamond Ave	Penitas	78576	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2330	676	40	16.9	83.1%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	676 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47.1	2262^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	51.1%		57.7	1685^th of 4651 public elementary schools	63.8%	577				36.0	52.8	50.5	52.2	58.3	40.2	$7,538
Idea La Joya Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	725 E Expy 83	La Joya	78560	Hidalgo County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(956) 766-3100	656	32	20.5	90.5%	12 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	644 (98.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.9	4450^th of 4627 public elementary schools	3.8%		12.4	4397^th of 4651 public elementary schools	5.5%	53			71.4	26.1	30.7	41.1	21.2	23.1	18.5	$13,185
Tabasco Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	223 S Leo Ave	La Joya	78560	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2440	544	34	15.8	90.4%	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	542 (99.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44.4	2424^th of 4627 public elementary schools	47.6%		53.6	1926^th of 4651 public elementary schools	58.6%	498	50.0	64.7	47.1	44.7	43.6	57.8	49.2	28.2	53.2	$8,272
Corina Pena Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4800 Liberty Blvd	Penitas	78576	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2750	523	35	14.9	96.6%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	522 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.4	3531^st of 4627 public elementary schools	23.7%		25.4	3705^th of 4651 public elementary schools	20.3%	174	26.9	21.4	22.2	34.2	33.9	48.1	30.2	40.3	41.4	$12,418
Guillermo Flores Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1913 Roque Salinas	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2760	452	29	15.6	93.1%	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	451 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37.1	2944^th of 4627 public elementary schools	36.4%		34	3190^th of 4651 public elementary schools	31.4%	246	40.0	33.3	57.1	44.6	38.9	45.8	47.0	43.3	36.4	$9,534
Leo J Leo Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1625 Roque Salinas	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2370	319	25	12.6	95.3%	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	318 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15.5	4266^th of 4627 public elementary schools	7.8%		26.8	3623^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	22.1%	643	5.9	44.4	0.0	19.2	48.3	37.5	9.3	34.2	23.1	$11,148
Patricio Perez Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4431 Minnesota Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2450	421	29	14.5	94.1%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	421 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29.1	3490^th of 4627 public elementary schools	24.6%		34	3192^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	31.4%	298	0.0	31.3	18.8	47.1	42.2	44.2	31.9	39.3	31.0	$9,842
Narciso Cavazos	Public	PK, KG-5	4563 Minnesota Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2430	471	31	15.0	94.3%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	470 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47.5	2245^th of 4627 public elementary schools	51.5%		29.6	3456^th of 4651 public elementary schools	25.7%	1211	37.0	48.3	10.5	53.1	56.4	43.6	50.9	41.8	44.6	$8,123
Dr Maria Palmira Mendiola Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6401 N Abram Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2420	583	34	17.2	95.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	583 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19.6	4066^th of 4627 public elementary schools	12.1%		19.2	4073^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	12.4%	7	16.7	8.3	6.1	21.4	41.3	47.8	19.1	41.4	23.4	$9,638
Elodia R Chapa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5670 Doffing Rd	Mission	78574	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2400	445	29	15.2	95.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	445 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27.3	3605^th of 4627 public elementary schools	22.1%		24.7	3748^th of 4651 public elementary schools	19.4%	143	42.9	40.0	15.4	28.6	40.9	54.8	23.8	34.0	36.0	$9,275

Frequently Asked Questions about John F Kennedy Elementary

What is the racial makeup of John F Kennedy Elementary?

Students at John F Kennedy Elementary are 100% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of John F Kennedy Elementary attend?

Students who attend John F Kennedy Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cesar Chavez Middle
High : Jimmy Carter Early College High School
High : La Joya High School
High : Thelma Rosa Salinas Stem Early College High School

How many students attend John F Kennedy Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 676 students attended John F Kennedy Elementary.

Is John F Kennedy Elementary a good school?

John F Kennedy Elementary ranks 2262^nd of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is John F Kennedy Elementary in?

La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.