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Kennedy Zapata Elementary

Q: Is Kennedy Zapata Elementary a good school?

Kennedy Zapata Elementary ranks 1010 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1010^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 78% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Kennedy Zapata Elementary is a small, PK-5 public school in Laredo, TX, serving 336 students within the United Independent School District (Isd). This school stands out for achieving strong academic results despite serving a highly economically disadvantaged community, with over 97% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. It has earned a 4-star rating from Schooldigger for the 2025-2026 school year, ranking in the 78th percentile statewide—a remarkable feat that places it as a top performer within its district and among nearby schools.

What truly sets Kennedy Zapata apart is its exceptional performance with students from low socio-economic backgrounds, ranking in the 95th percentile statewide for this subgroup. This is a stark contrast to nearby Salinas Elementary, which has a less disadvantaged population (82% free/reduced lunch) but ranks only in the 32nd percentile overall. The school also excels in math, outperforming district and state averages in every grade level—for example, 5th-grade math proficiency reached 61.9% compared to the district's 52.76% and the state's 47.38%. Smaller class sizes (12.5:1 student-to-teacher ratio) and higher per-student spending ($12,182) likely contribute to this success, offering your child more individualized attention and resources.

Kennedy Zapata has shown remarkable resilience, recovering from a pandemic-era dip to the 23rd percentile in 2020-2021 to its current 78th percentile ranking—a rebound far stronger than many neighboring schools. While the school excels in reading and math, science scores present a growth area, with only 29.82% of 5th graders proficient in 2024-2025, slightly below the district average. Overall, this school is a strong choice for families seeking a supportive environment where students from diverse backgrounds consistently achieve above expectations, particularly in mathematics.

336

Students ?

12.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,520

Per pupil spending ?

97%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3809 S Espejo-Molina Rd
Laredo, TX 78046

(956) 473-4100

District: United Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Kennedy Zapata Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Salvador Garcia Middle
High:	Lyndon B Johnson

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

100.0%

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Compare Kennedy Zapata Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 67th percentile in 2016 → 78th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Texas average (60% vs 51% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 22% of Texas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg56%

Texas avg51%

1,010^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 22%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From top 33% (2016) to top 22% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 30Elementary Schools in the United Independent School District (Isd)

290^th of 951United 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	73.2	1010 of 4627	78.2%	★★★★☆
2025	68.0	1214 of 4651	73.9%	★★★★☆
2024	54.5	1912 of 4710	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.0	2009 of 4647	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	70.9	1113 of 4581	75.7%	★★★★☆
2021	24.5	3545 of 4578	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	75.5	858 of 4479	80.8%	★★★★☆
2018	57.3	1616 of 4359	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.1	1438 of 4329	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	67.5	1394 of 4286	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	73.3	1091 of 4320	74.7%	★★★★☆
2014	63.5	1567 of 4260	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	50.9	2243 of 4221	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	43.5	2688 of 4206	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	42.4	2827 of 4095	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2010	54.7	2074 of 3937	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	37.6	2863 of 3884	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	51.6	2116 of 3768	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	42.5	2579 of 3724	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	51.2	1992 of 3476	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	33.0	2755 of 3475	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	15.3	3272 of 3465	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	84.9	305 of 4461	93.2%	★★★★★
2021	31.4	3255 of 4331	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	85.0	268 of 4295	93.8%	★★★★★
2018	69.9	791 of 4240	81.3%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	78.4	434 of 2918	85.1%	★★★★☆
2024	62.2	1057 of 3668	71.2%	★★★★☆
2023	58.9	1223 of 3556	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.9	703 of 3487	79.8%	★★★★☆
2021	26.7	2867 of 3446	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.2	666 of 3333	80.0%	★★★★☆
2018	57.0	1178 of 3226	63.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	65.1	1329 of 4575	71.0%	★★★★☆
2025	71.8	811 of 3744	78.3%	★★★★☆
2024	53.8	1937 of 4658	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.0	2157 of 4588	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.8	1376 of 4561	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.7	3211 of 4499	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.4	1055 of 4348	75.7%	★★★★☆
2018	45.6	2262 of 4306	47.5%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	75.2	89 of 3075	97.1%	★★★★★
2025	52.5	1597 of 2619	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	76.7	133 of 2980	95.5%	★★★★★
2022	78.6	92 of 2958	96.9%	★★★★★
2021	44.9	1935 of 3006	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	70.6	773 of 3184	75.7%	★★★★☆
2018	34.5	2494 of 3106	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	79.1	550 of 4413	87.5%	★★★★☆
2025	75.6	573 of 3644	84.3%	★★★★☆
2024	61.7	1351 of 4465	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.5	1441 of 4401	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	75.9	674 of 4376	84.6%	★★★★☆
2021	28.3	3350 of 4329	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	80.6	452 of 4188	89.2%	★★★★☆
2018	63.0	1220 of 4168	70.7%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	87.4	245 of 4520	94.6%	★★★★★
2025	81.3	324 of 3705	91.3%	★★★★★
2024	67.4	1073 of 4594	76.6%	★★★★☆
2023	66.2	1119 of 4521	75.2%	★★★★☆
2022	81.5	408 of 4477	90.9%	★★★★★
2021	30.6	3336 of 4451	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	85.8	246 of 4309	94.3%	★★★★★
2018	72.6	738 of 4264	82.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	78.0	790 of 4582	82.8%	★★★★☆
2025	66.3	1046 of 3739	72.0%	★★★★☆
2024	56.2	1809 of 4647	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.6	1877 of 4585	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.2	864 of 4563	81.1%	★★★★☆
2021	21.3	3784 of 4498	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	76.4	762 of 4357	82.5%	★★★★☆
2018	67.5	1117 of 4319	74.1%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.2	1931 of 4301	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.0	1687 of 3549	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.9	2235 of 4292	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.9	3354 of 4086	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	47.3	1754 of 3952	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.1	2877 of 3799	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.0	2697 of 3684	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.1	2719 of 3558	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Gifted and Talented (2026)97th percentile+19 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)95th percentile+16 vs school

At Risk (2022)93rd percentile+17 vs school

Hispanic (2026)88th percentile+9 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)85th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2026)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)71st percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2026)55th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading61%+7 vs state

Mathematics58%+11 vs state

★

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Schools Near Kennedy Zapata 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 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 Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Kennedy Zapata Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3809 S Espejo-Molina Rd	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-4100	336	27	12.5	97.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	336 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	73.2	1010^th of 4627 public elementary schools	78.2%		68	1214^th of 4651 public elementary schools	73.9%	204	60.0	57.7	66.7	54.6	58.8	61.9	$11,520
Juarez/Lincoln Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Espejo-Molina Rd	Rio Bravo	78043	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-4300	535	40	13.3	93.5%	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	533 (99.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58.4	1683^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	63.6%		55.4	1817^th of 4651 public elementary schools	60.9%	134	44.0	47.1	66.2	40.0	56.5	66.2	$9,670
Veterans Memorial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5909 St Luke Blvd	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-1200	815	49	16.6	91.9%	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	808 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	48.8	2179^th of 4627 public elementary schools	52.9%		52	2029^th of 4651 public elementary schools	56.4%	150	58.5	49.1	49.5	47.5	46.5	37.0	$8,035
Prada Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	510 Soria Dr	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-3500	788	49	16.1	93.7%	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	784 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44	2444^th of 4627 public elementary schools	47.2%		47.8	2269^th of 4651 public elementary schools	51.2%	175	42.6	54.6	57.6	32.2	49.5	40.0	$8,038
Sigifredo Perez Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Sierra Vista Dr	Laredo	78043	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-3600	588	41	14.3	91.0%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	587 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59.9	1617^th of 4627 public elementary schools	65.1%		56.4	1756^th of 4651 public elementary schools	62.2%	139	62.6	50.7	59.8	56.0	49.3	40.2	$9,175
John W Arndt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	610 Santa Marta Blvd	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-2800	766	48	15.8	94.5%	5 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	759 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43.5	2481^st of 4627 public elementary schools	46.4%		44.6	2467^th of 4651 public elementary schools	47.0%	14	54.3	35.8	59.1	36.2	37.4	56.3	$8,109
Franklin D Roosevelt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3301 Sierra Vista Dr	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-3400	612	40	15.2	97.2%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	611 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49.4	2152^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	53.5%		60.6	1549^th of 4651 public elementary schools	66.7%	603	48.8	46.7	55.2	43.0	41.8	56.4	$8,658
Rodolfo C Centeno Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2710 La Pita Mangana Rd	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-8800	824	50	16.4	87.5%	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	819 (99.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62.3	1499^th of 4627 public elementary schools	67.6%		48.8	2207^th of 4651 public elementary schools	52.5%	708	58.2	52.1	62.3	44.4	52.9	57.0	$7,705
Salinas Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3611 Alfredo Cantu Dr	Laredo	78046	Webb County	United Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 473-3200	854	48	17.7	82.1%	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	851 (99.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33.8	3161^st of 4627 public elementary schools	31.7%		39.5	2804^th of 4651 public elementary schools	39.7%	357	46.6	34.2	56.7	36.4	40.0	31.3	$7,816
Ligarde Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 S Canada Ave	Laredo	78046	Webb County	Laredo Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 273-3900	571	36	15.8	96.7%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	570 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39.4	2799^th of 4627 public elementary schools	39.5%		42.4	2612^th of 4651 public elementary schools	43.8%	187	31.5	55.7	59.8	28.8	51.3	30.5	$9,678

Frequently Asked Questions about Kennedy Zapata Elementary

What schools do graduates of Kennedy Zapata Elementary attend?

Students who attend Kennedy Zapata Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Salvador Garcia Middle
High : Lyndon B Johnson

Is Kennedy Zapata Elementary a good school?

Kennedy Zapata Elementary ranks 1010^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Kennedy Zapata Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 336 students attended Kennedy Zapata Elementary.

What district is Kennedy Zapata Elementary in?

United Independent School District (Isd)

What is the racial makeup of Kennedy Zapata Elementary?

Students at Kennedy Zapata Elementary are 100% Hispanic.

Rate Kennedy Zapata Elementary!

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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.