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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 78539


At a glance
35
Schools
27,775
Students
6
Districts
3
5-star schools
Top rankedSouth Texas Independent School District (Isd) Preparatory Academy25th of 2,335 Texas middle schools
Biggest riser
Dr Thomas Esparza Elementary up 1,589 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
B L Garza Middle 11.9 students per teacher
Newly ranked this year
Texasworks - Edinburg-Cte
SchoolDigger ratings
5★
4★
3★
2★
1★
2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The 34 public schools in zip code 78539 (Edinburg, TX) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, primarily within the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, and are characterized by a high level of economic disadvantage, with most schools reporting a free/reduced lunch rate above 60%.

The educational landscape is sharply divided between the high-performing magnet schools of the South Texas Independent School District (Isd) and the traditional public schools. South Texas Independent School District (Isd) Preparatory Academy (a middle school) and South Texas Independent School District (Isd) World Scholars (a high school) are in a completely different league, ranking in the 99th and 94th percentiles statewide, respectively, with test scores 30-40 percentage points higher than local schools. Among the ECISD elementary schools, Jefferson Elementary (90th percentile) and Austin Elementary (87th percentile) are standout performers, achieving top results despite high poverty rates. At the high school level, Robert R Vela High School leads the four main ECISD high schools with the highest graduation rate (94.3%) and state rank (61st percentile), while Economedes High School struggles at the 24th percentile. Eisenhower Elementary shows notable improvement, jumping from the 21st to the 48th percentile.

Key takeaways include that poverty is not destiny, as Austin Elementary (86.61% disadvantaged) outperforms many schools with lower poverty rates, while San Carlos Elementary (97.03% disadvantaged) and Zavala Elementary (87.96% disadvantaged) face severe challenges. The near-perfect Algebra I and English I scores at the three ECISD middle schools (South Middle, Memorial Middle, B L Garza Middle) are a "mirage," reflecting only advanced students, while their standard 6th-8th grade scores are moderate. The stark contrast between Canterbury Elementary (41.48% disadvantaged, 90th percentile) and San Carlos Elementary (97.03% disadvantaged, 62nd percentile) highlights the direct link between concentrated poverty and performance within the same district.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Cities Near Zip Code 78539

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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.

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