Best Public Schools in Zip Code 78839

The five public schools in zip code 78839, serving the Crystal City Independent School District (Isd) in Zavala County, Texas, serve a student population of about 1,643 across grades Pre-K through 12, with the district ranking in the 12th percentile statewide and facing significant economic challenges.

Two schools stand out for different reasons. Sterling H Fly Junior High School is a standout for academic performance, with 90.91% of its 8th-grade students scoring proficient on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam—dramatically higher than the district average of 42.06% and the state average of 54.03%. In contrast, Zavala Elementary stands out for improvement, becoming the only school in the district to exceed state averages in 3rd-grade Reading (54.67% vs. state 51.08%) and Mathematics (57.33% vs. state 44.33%). However, a troubling pattern emerges when comparing elementary schools: while Zavala Elementary shows strong 3rd-grade performance, Benito Juarez Elementary (serving grades 4-5) sees proficiency rates plummet, with 4th-grade Math dropping to just 27.27% proficient. Dr Tomas Rivera Elementary, serving Pre-K through Kindergarten, has the highest poverty rate at 92.27% but no test score data, making it a critical foundation for the district's future success.

Key metrics reveal systemic challenges. Crystal City High School has a graduation rate of 88.9% and a dropout rate of 1.9%, with test scores consistently 10-20 percentage points below state averages. The district's per-student spending ranges from $10,835 to $12,373, and student-teacher ratios vary from 13:1 at Zavala Elementary to 16.6:1 at Dr. Tomas Rivera Elementary. The most interesting finding is the "Algebra I anomaly": while Sterling H Fly Junior High excels in advanced math, only 29.41% of test-takers at Crystal City High School are proficient, suggesting that middle school success does not translate to the broader high school population. This data points to a potential "4th-grade slump" and highlights the need for stronger curriculum continuity between campuses.