Best Public Schools in Zip Code 78046

The 21 schools in Laredo's 78046 zip code, serving elementary through high school grades, are predominantly part of the United Independent School District (Isd) and the Laredo Independent School District (Isd), and they operate in an area where an average of 90.5% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating widespread economic need.

Standout schools defy the poverty trend. J Kawas Elementary (LISD) is the top performer with a 5-star rating and 90th percentile rank, achieving 97.62% math proficiency for 5th graders despite a 97.25% poverty rate. Kennedy Zapata Elementary (UISD) also excels with a 4-star rating and 78th percentile rank. In contrast, Dr Leo Cigarroa High School (LISD) is critically struggling with a 0-star rating and only 4.52% English I reading proficiency, despite having the highest per-student spending ($12,411). The UISD middle schools are a bright spot, with Los Obispos Middle leading at the 66th percentile and all four UISD middle schools achieving over 92% proficiency on the Algebra I EOC exam, far above the state average of 47%.

Key metrics show a favorable average student-teacher ratio of 15:1 and high school graduation rates above 94% for the three standard high schools, though the charter Triumph Public High Schools-Laredo South lags at 87.3%. The data reveals that high spending does not guarantee success, as United Step Academy spends $25,785 per student with a tiny 7.6:1 ratio but lacks test score data. Overall, UISD schools generally outperform LISD schools in this zip code, and the exceptional results at high-poverty elementary schools like J Kawas and Kennedy Zapata prove that school-level factors like leadership and curriculum can overcome economic challenges.