1
If you had an hour of school board time for DONNA WERNECKE EL, what would you bring up?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
631
Elementary
DISTRICT 595 · STATE 519
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SHARYLAND ISD·NCES 483993011430
Donna Wernecke Elementary School
4500 DOVE AVE, MCALLEN, TX 78504 · (956) 928-1063 · Hidalgo County
GRADES PK–06ELEMENTARY12-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL631 STUDENTS
A-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 79% of Texas public elementary schools
- B+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- A-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- BThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Texas public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
15.0:1
42 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.2:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
64%
405 students
DISTRICT 66% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 36 | 6% |
| Kindergarten | 58 | 9% |
| Grade 1 | 70 | 11% |
| Grade 2 | 84 | 13% |
| Grade 3 | 83 | 13% |
| Grade 4 | 99 | 16% |
| Grade 5 | 107 | 17% |
| Grade 6 | 94 | 15% |
This year's kindergarten class (58) is 38% smaller than its 6th grade class (94).
Student demographics
10%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 13% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
66.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +44.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
54.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +38.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 66 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 54 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 44 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 38 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 34.0% | 32.0% | 19.0% | 15.0% |
| Mathematics | 24.0% | 30.0% | 27.0% | 19.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 66.0% | 54.0% |
| 2024-25 | 67.0% | 54.0% |
| 2023-24 | 60.0% | 52.0% |
| 2022-23 | 52.0% | 53.0% |
| 2021-22 | 58.0% | 48.0% |
| 2020-21 | 22.0% | 16.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
53.8%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
46.3%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+7.5pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 54% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 46% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Donna Wernecke Elementary School
Donna Wernecke Elementary School's state test result (53.8% proficient) is higher than 0 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donna Wernecke Elementary School this school | 631 | 64.2% | 53.8% |
| Loma Verde EL PASO | 661 | 64.1% | 62.4% |
| Dr Hesiquio Rodriguez Elementary School HARLINGEN | 674 | 64.5% | 55.0% |
| Rancho Verde Elementary School BROWNSVILLE | 696 | 65.2% | 67.1% |
| Trautmann Elementary School LAREDO | 661 | 61.9% | 64.5% |
| Alfonso Ramirez Elementary School EDINBURG | 661 | 64.4% | 56.1% |
Matched among Texas elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Donna Wernecke Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 53.8% | #1,149 of 4,401 | #36 of 181 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 54.0% | #1,433 of 4,466 ▼ 113 | #62 of 183 ▼ 23 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 66.0% | #981 of 4,466 ▼ 42 | #22 of 183 ▲ 2 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +7.5pp | #1,828 of 3,998 | #83 of 180 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 631 | #1,388 of 4,938 | #49 of 192 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.0:1 | #2,458 of 4,622 | #55 of 185 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 10.3% | #4,093 of 4,628 | #23 of 185 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 64.2% | #2,895 of 4,789 | #179 of 190 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -15.2% | #1,585 of 2,838 | #80 of 128 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
631
-93 (-13%) vs 2020
-6% since 2010-11, when it was 669
Student : Teacher
15.0:1
was 16.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 631 | 42.1 | 15.0:1 | 64% (405) |
| 2023-24 | 672 | 42 | 16.0:1 | 66% (442) |
| 2022-23 | 697 | 43.1 | 16.2:1 | 71% (494) |
| 2020-21 | 724 | 43 | 16.8:1 | 66% (476) |
| 2017-18 | 744 | 40.6 | 18.3:1 | 63% (467) |
| 2015-16 | 764 | 43 | 17.8:1 | 64% (492) |
| 2010-11 | 669 | 36 | 18.6:1 | 57% (378) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Donna Wernecke Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students down 15% (744 to 631); teachers up 4% (40.6 to 42.1).
About Donna Wernecke Elementary School
Federal records list Donna Wernecke Elementary School as an elementary school in MCALLEN, Texas. Students in pre-K through 6 attend the school, which enrolls 631 students. The average among elementary schools in Texas is roughly 519 students; this school is 22% larger than that.
SHARYLAND ISD has a total of 13 schools and 9,844 students, Donna Wernecke Elementary School among them.
Donna Wernecke Elementary School enrolls a student body that is 95% Hispanic. The rest of enrollment is 4% White. The Hispanic share in Hidalgo County as a whole is similar, at about 92%. The chance that two students picked at random at Donna Wernecke Elementary School belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 10%.
The school has about 15.0 students per teacher and 42.1 full-time-equivalent teachers. Elementary schools in Texas have a similar average ratio of 15.1:1. About 64% of enrolled students meet the income rules for free or reduced-price lunch. That is 21 points below the 85% average for public schools in Hidalgo County.
Donna Wernecke Elementary School is graded A- by allk12, scoring above 79% of Texas public elementary schools once test results, poverty-adjusted performance, and the recent trend are combined.
In Texas, Donna Wernecke Elementary School is in the middle band of BeatsExpectations: 53.8% actual against a predicted 46.3%.
Recent Census Bureau figures for Hidalgo County show that median household income is about $54,338, about 21% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 23% of residents are in poverty. Donna Wernecke Elementary School is one of 364 public schools in Hidalgo County, which together enroll about 212,859 students.
Nearest public school: Sharyland North Junior High School, about 0.2 miles away. Other public schools within five miles: at least 8. Donna Wernecke Elementary School is 5th of 9 nearby schools by average proficiency rate.
For locale, NCES codes Donna Wernecke Elementary School as City: Mid-size.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment down 13%, from 724 to 631. The ratio was 16.8:1 in 2020-21 and 15.0:1 in 2024-25.
The discussion area below is open to posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Hidalgo County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
891,977
Census ACS
Median income
$54,338
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
21%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
23%
Below federal line
Schools in county
364
212,859 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in SHARYLAND ISD
- Sharyland High SchoolHigh · 1,527 students
- Sharyland Pioneer High SchoolHigh · 1,511 students
- Sharyland North Junior High SchoolMiddle · 791 students
- B L Gray Junior High SchoolMiddle · 775 students
- John H Shary Elementary SchoolElementary · 652 students
- Olivero Garza Sr Elementary SchoolElementary · 648 students
Other schools in MCALLEN
- McAllen High SchoolHigh · 2,134 students
- Memorial High SchoolHigh · 2,021 students
- Morris Middle SchoolMiddle · 999 students
- Cathey Middle SchoolMiddle · 827 students
- IDEA McAllen College PreparatoryHigh · 820 students
- Gonzalez Elementary SchoolElementary · 818 students
Nearby schools
- Sharyland North Junior High School0.2 mi · 791
- Lucile Hendricks Elementary School0.6 mi · 432
- Garza Elementary School1.3 mi · 409
- Castaneda Elementary School1.3 mi · 374
- De Leon Middle School1.3 mi · 664
- Michael E Fossum Middle School1.5 mi · 791
Frequently asked questions
About Donna Wernecke Elementary SchoolHow many students attend Donna Wernecke Elementary School?
Donna Wernecke Elementary School enrolls approximately 631 students in grades PK-06.
What age range does Donna Wernecke Elementary School serve?
Donna Wernecke Elementary School serves students from grade PK through grade 06.
How many teachers does Donna Wernecke Elementary School have?
Donna Wernecke Elementary School employs 42 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.0:1.
What is the student diversity at Donna Wernecke Elementary School?
Student demographics at Donna Wernecke Elementary School are roughly 4% White, 95% Hispanic, 1% Two or more.
Who oversees Donna Wernecke Elementary School?
Donna Wernecke Elementary School is overseen by SHARYLAND ISD in Hidalgo County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.