Summary:
Zip code 78501 in McAllen, TX, is home to two middle schools, Cathey Middle and Travis Middle, both part of the McAllen Independent School District (Isd), serving grades 6-8 in a community with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
Cathey Middle is the standout school in this area, consistently outperforming Travis Middle in core academic subjects and earning a much higher state ranking in the 77th percentile. Despite having a lower per-student spending ($9,369 vs. $13,889) and a higher student-teacher ratio (15.3:1 vs. 11.5:1), Cathey Middle achieves better overall math and reading proficiency. However, Travis Middle shows a dramatic improvement trajectory, jumping from the 35th to the 56th percentile in recent years, and excels in advanced coursework. Both schools share a remarkable strength in Algebra I, with proficiency rates near 100%, far exceeding district and state averages, indicating a strong focus on accelerating top students into advanced math.
A key concern for both schools is performance in standard grade-level math, especially at Travis Middle, where only about 17% of 6th graders and 23% of 7th graders were proficient. Social studies is another consistent challenge, with both schools scoring well below the district average. While Cathey Middle offers a more stable, high-performing environment, Travis Middle is a school to watch for its rapid improvements and resource-intensive approach, despite facing higher poverty levels. Overall, families in this zip code have two distinct options: a consistently strong performer in Cathey Middle and an improving school with targeted strengths in Travis Middle.
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