GARZA EL

Set in BROWNSVILLE, Texas, GARZA EL is a close-knit elementary campus, overseen by BROWNSVILLE ISD. It caters to 262 students across grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 50% leaner than the state mean of about 519.

BROWNSVILLE ISD runs 52 schools in total, collectively educating 37,097 students. GARZA EL is one of those campuses.

On demographics, GARZA EL records that the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (98%). That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 89%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, GARZA EL records 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.1:1, putting GARZA EL tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 96% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Cameron County (around 84%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, GARZA EL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 31.9%; this one delivers 38.9%.

In the area at large, census data for Cameron County shows median household income runs about $52,601, 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 21% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Cameron County runs 187 public schools (combined enrollment of about 97,392 students), of which GARZA EL is one.

The closest other public school is GARZA AT SOUTHMOST EL, roughly 0.7 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), GARZA EL ranks 6th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 41.0%.

The campus sits in a downtown setting.

Trend over the last 6 years. Looking back 6 years, enrollment at GARZA EL has declined 38%, going from 425 students in 2018 to 262 in 2024. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 12.9:1 today.

On the community side, members of the GARZA EL community share and discuss fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.