Summary:
The three elementary schools in zip code 78076 (Zapata, TX) serve grades PK through 5 and are part of the Zapata County Independent School District (Isd), which holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the 39th percentile statewide.
Zapata South Elementary is the standout school, showing dramatic improvement by jumping from the 45th to the 67th percentile in state rankings between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. It posted the highest proficiency rates in the area for 4th Grade Reading and Math (both 73.81%), far exceeding district and state averages. In contrast, Fidel And Andrea R Villarreal Elementary spends the most per student ($10,355) and has the highest economic disadvantage rate (93.48%), yet it has the weakest academic performance and lowest state ranking (53rd percentile) among the three. Zapata North Elementary is the largest school (571 students) and spends the least per student ($9,515), but it leads in 5th Grade Math (71.74%) and is the only school to exceed the state average in 5th Grade Science (34.62% vs. 29.57%).
A critical district-wide weakness is 5th Grade Science, where Zapata South Elementary posted a critically low 7.06% proficiency rate. All three schools serve a high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 86.68% to 93.48%, and student-teacher ratios are favorable (13.8:1 to 15.5:1). The data shows an inverse relationship between spending and performance, suggesting that factors like school culture and teaching strategies may be more impactful than financial investment in this district.
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