Summary
Prada Elementary in Laredo, TX, is a PK-5 campus serving 788 students in a high-poverty area where over 93% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and it has shown a recent upward trend in state rankings, now sitting at the 47th percentile. The school excels in supporting its female students, who rank in the 56th percentile statewide, but faces a significant and growing challenge with male students, who rank much lower at the 35th percentile—a 21-point gap that has widened in recent years. Additionally, while Prada has historically been strong for low-income students, ranking in the 76th percentile just two years ago, that performance has dropped to the 64th percentile, signaling a need for renewed focus on its core demographic.
Prada also struggles with its most vulnerable and advanced learners: special education students have plummeted from the 60th percentile to the 24th percentile, and gifted and talented students have fallen to the 23rd percentile, both earning just one star. Mathematics is a persistent weakness, with only 32% of 3rd graders proficient in math compared to 49% in the United Independent School District (Isd) and 44% statewide. Interestingly, nearby Sigifredo Perez Elementary, just 0.71 miles away, outperforms Prada significantly, ranking in the 65th percentile with 68% of 3rd graders proficient in math, showing that school quality is not about location but internal practices.
Nearby schools in the Laredo Independent School District (Isd), like J Kawas Elementary (77th percentile) and H B Zachry Elementary (78th percentile), achieve higher rankings despite even higher poverty rates, suggesting Prada and UISD could learn from their strategies. Overall, Prada Elementary is at a critical point: its post-pandemic recovery has stalled, and to reverse its decline, it must urgently address the gender gap, special education support, and math instruction, while looking to its higher-performing neighbors for best practices.
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