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Irene M Garcia Middle

Q: Is Irene M Garcia Middle a good school?

Irene M Garcia Middle ranks 939 th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

939^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 60% of Texas middle schools

Summary

Irene M Garcia Middle in Mission, TX, serves 601 students in grades 6-8 within the La Joya Independent School District (Isd), and has shown a remarkable turnaround, climbing from the 12th percentile statewide in 2020-2021 to the 60th percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 3-star rating.

This school stands out for its exceptional advanced math program. In the 2025-2026 school year, 100% of its 8th graders taking Algebra I were proficient, matching the top-performing Memorial Middle (just 0.37 miles away) and far exceeding the district average of 48.84%. However, 7th-grade math is a clear challenge, with only 5.98% of students proficient—a steep drop from 6th grade (36.15%) and well below the state average of 29.41%. This "7th-grade math cliff" is a district-wide issue, but it is more pronounced at Garcia. The school is also highly effective at supporting specific student groups, ranking 4th out of 60 schools statewide for migrant students (93rd percentile) and in the 73rd percentile for low socioeconomic status students—both significantly higher than its overall rank.

Compared to other La Joya Independent School District (Isd) middle schools, Garcia is the second-highest performer, trailing only Memorial Middle (79th percentile) and outperforming Domingo Trevino Middle (35th percentile), Juan De Dios Salinas Middle (24th percentile), Ann Richards Middle (18th percentile), and Cesar Chavez Middle (49th percentile). While Memorial Middle has a stronger overall program, Garcia matches it in Algebra I and excels at closing achievement gaps for its most vulnerable students, making it a more equitable school in key areas. The school’s consistent improvement over five years, despite serving a high-poverty community, suggests effective leadership and targeted instructional strategies are driving its success.

601

Students ?

14.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,787

Per pupil spending ?

86.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

933 Paula Dr
Mission, TX 78572

(956) 323-2840

District: La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Irene M Garcia Middle usually attend:

High:	Jimmy Carter Early College High School
	La Joya Palmview High School
	Thelma Rosa Salinas Stem Early College High School

Feeder schools for Irene M Garcia Middle:

Elementary:	E B Reyna Elementary
	Jose De Escandon Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

100.0%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare Irene M Garcia Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 29th percentile in 2016 → 60th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 31 percentile points since 2016

✓Among the top-ranked schools in La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

✓Above the Texas median (60th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school46%

District avg40%

Texas avg47%

939^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Top 40%▲ up 30 pts since 2016

From bottom 29% (2016) to top 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 8Middle 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	53.2	939 of 2335	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.1	1071 of 2344	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.1	637 of 2372	73.1%	★★★★☆
2023	53.5	973 of 2330	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.1	875 of 2254	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	16.8	1979 of 2252	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	43.9	1178 of 2193	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.4	1133 of 2080	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.4	1239 of 2027	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	36.3	1404 of 1987	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	37.1	1406 of 2043	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	28.0	1566 of 1987	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	35.2	1436 of 1973	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	35.2	1404 of 1951	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	41.1	1373 of 1895	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	43.4	1260 of 1803	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.1	1157 of 1763	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	50.1	996 of 1718	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	36.7	1241 of 1684	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	47.7	938 of 1585	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2005	52.3	831 of 1582	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	62.7	602 of 1573	61.7%	★★★☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	84.4	149 of 2182	93.2%	★★★★★
2021	31.9	1556 of 2118	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	60.5	530 of 2058	74.2%	★★★★☆
2018	49.3	820 of 2008	59.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.3	626 of 1390	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.1	558 of 1428	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.2	413 of 1770	76.7%	★★★★☆
2023	62.0	447 of 1720	74.0%	★★★★☆
2022	72.4	241 of 1643	85.3%	★★★★☆
2021	33.9	1110 of 1592	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.4	249 of 1445	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	63.6	270 of 1376	80.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	51.4	966 of 2240	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.8	898 of 1825	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.5	511 of 2242	77.2%	★★★★☆
2023	55.7	876 of 2241	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.1	985 of 2221	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	14.5	1985 of 2151	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	42.5	1164 of 2047	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.6	1064 of 2008	47.0%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	48.9	955 of 1497	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	61.4	531 of 1230	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.3	600 of 1481	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.5	639 of 1488	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	12.0	1389 of 1501	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	54.2	828 of 1446	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.8	901 of 1430	37.0%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	61.2	630 of 2141	70.6%	★★★★☆
2025	56.9	615 of 1731	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.6	361 of 2119	83.0%	★★★★☆
2023	63.2	587 of 2116	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	64.0	526 of 2077	74.7%	★★★★☆
2021	21.6	1773 of 2043	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	51.7	830 of 1935	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.6	813 of 1895	57.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	62.4	610 of 2253	72.9%	★★★★☆
2025	58.9	576 of 1820	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.8	252 of 2235	88.7%	★★★★☆
2023	60.9	685 of 2251	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.1	549 of 2220	75.3%	★★★★☆
2021	20.1	1934 of 2172	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	53.9	797 of 2073	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.8	884 of 2039	56.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.6	904 of 2253	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.2	879 of 1818	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.7	794 of 2246	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.1	1031 of 2245	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.4	821 of 2228	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	21.4	1801 of 2168	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	43.3	1109 of 2069	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.9	1187 of 2030	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

Migrant

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	78.5	4 of 60	93.3%	★★★★★
2025	51.7	23 of 59	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.8	23 of 58	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.2	22 of 76	71.1%	★★★★☆
2022	82.2	2 of 70	97.1%	★★★★★
2021	26.9	63 of 68	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	33.8	83 of 108	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.6	70 of 125	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.6	806 of 1956	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	37.5	1025 of 1568	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.2	1251 of 1891	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.5	1187 of 1815	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.9	684 of 1757	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	23.8	1544 of 1712	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	33.3	1136 of 1626	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.1	479 of 1597	70.0%	★★★★☆

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)

Migrant (2026)93rd percentile+34 vs school

At Risk (2022)93rd percentile+32 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)73rd percentile+13 vs school

Hispanic (2026)71st percentile+11 vs school

Male (2026)60th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)59th percentile~ school

Female (2026)57th percentile-3 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)55th percentile-5 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)36th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I100%+46 vs state

Reading58%~ state avg

Mathematics36%-4 vs state

Social Studies33%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Irene M Garcia Middle

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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 EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			STAAR Social Studies (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 EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Irene M Garcia Middle	Public	6-8	933 Paula Dr	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2840	601	43	14.1	86.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	601 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.2	939^th of 2335 public middle schools	59.8%		50.1	1071^st of 2344 public middle schools	54.3%	132	100.0					65.4	55.4	51.3	36.2	6.0	50.9	32.8	$9,787
Memorial Middle	Public	6-8	2610 N Moorefield Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2820	663	48	13.9	83.3%	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	661 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70.7	498^th of 2335 public middle schools	78.7%		61.7	757^th of 2344 public middle schools	67.7%	259	100.0					57.9	61.9	69.1	50.8	27.1	64.2	40.3	$10,174
White J H	Public	6-8	1101 W Griffin Pkwy	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	Mission Consolidated Independent School District	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-3600	831	61	13.6	85.8%	7 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	823 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47.2	1133^rd of 2335 public middle schools	51.5%		41.1	1361^st of 2344 public middle schools	41.9%	228	100.0					47.6	52.0	61.2	26.1	13.3	55.8	27.7	$10,969
Idea Palmview College Preparatory	Public, Charter	6-10	4100 N Schuerbach Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 377-8000	446	31	14.5	99.6%	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	435 (97.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41	1372^nd of 2335 public middle schools	41.2%		37.7	1466^th of 2344 public middle schools	37.5%	94	45.1	53.3	47.1	60.0	74.1	37.8	46.0	47.0	35.4	33.3		33.3	$17,367
Mission J H	Public	6-8	415 E 14th St	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	Mission Consolidated Independent School District	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-3300	711	62	11.4	74.4%	10 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	699 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41.6	1341^st of 2335 public middle schools	42.6%		46.7	1175^th of 2344 public middle schools	49.9%	166	100.0					55.7	49.8	54.9	35.5	2.6	40.2	20.7	$11,493
Ann Richards Middle	Public	6-8	7005 Ann Richards Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2860	665	41	16.3	92.9%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	665 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24.3	1923^rd of 2335 public middle schools	17.6%		37.7	1467^th of 2344 public middle schools	37.4%	456	91.2					33.5	46.4	41.1	16.6	4.2	35.2	18.3	$9,250
Cesar Chavez Middle	Public	6-8	78 Showers Rd	Mission	78572	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2800	625	41	15.3	87.2%	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	622 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45.4	1198^th of 2335 public middle schools	48.7%		36.6	1509^th of 2344 public middle schools	35.6%	311	100.0					58.0	48.2	58.0	34.1	9.7	43.9	25.1	$9,510
Domingo Trevino Middle	Public	6-8	301 S Inspiration Rd	Alton	78573	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2810	531	44	11.9	97.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	531 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36.2	1524^th of 2335 public middle schools	34.7%		33.2	1615^th of 2344 public middle schools	31.1%	91	94.3					43.6	35.8	50.0	31.4	3.6	55.5	18.6	$10,797
Juan De Dios Salinas Middle	Public	6-8	6101 N Bentsen Palm Dr	Mission	78574	Hidalgo County	La Joya Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-2850	648	49	13.2	97.2%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	647 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.6	1771^st of 2335 public middle schools	24.2%		28.2	1789^th of 2344 public middle schools	23.7%	18	96.3					40.9	42.7	32.1	31.0	12.4	34.1	25.2	$10,373
Alton Memorial J H	Public	6-8	521 S Los Ebanos Blvd	Alton	78573	Hidalgo County	Mission Consolidated Independent School District	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 323-5000	819	63	12.9	93.7%	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	811 (99.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30.8	1691^st of 2335 public middle schools	27.6%		28.7	1777^th of 2344 public middle schools	24.2%	86	100.0					49.8	47.2	46.0	23.7	3.1	34.4	20.1	$11,028

Frequently Asked Questions about Irene M Garcia Middle

How many students attend Irene M Garcia Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 601 students attended Irene M Garcia Middle.

Is Irene M Garcia Middle a good school?

Irene M Garcia Middle ranks 939^th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Irene M Garcia Middle?

Students at Irene M Garcia Middle are 100% Hispanic.

What district is Irene M Garcia Middle in?

La Joya Independent School District (Isd)

What high school do graduates of Irene M Garcia Middle attend?

Students who attend Irene M Garcia Middle usually go on to attend Jimmy Carter Early College High School

Rate Irene M Garcia Middle!

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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.