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Does IDEA MCALLEN COLLEGE PREPARATORY have enough mental health and stress support?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
820
High
DISTRICT 676 · STATE 796
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS·NCES 480021112679
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory
201 N BENTSEN RD, MCALLEN, TX 78501 · (956) 429-4100 · Hidalgo County
GRADES 06–12HIGH12-CITYCHARTERTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL820 STUDENTS
B
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 63% of Texas public high schools
- BTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ABeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- FThree-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 high schools
Student : Teacher
16.9:1
49 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.1:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
75%
613 students
DISTRICT 83% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 131 | 16% |
| Grade 7 | 132 | 16% |
| Grade 8 | 136 | 17% |
| Grade 9 | 113 | 14% |
| Grade 10 | 126 | 15% |
| Grade 11 | 106 | 13% |
| Grade 12 | 76 | 9% |
Student demographics
9%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 27% · 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
62.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +2.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
39.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +8.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 62 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 39 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 2 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 8 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 25.0% | 37.0% | 21.0% | 17.0% |
| Mathematics | 14.0% | 25.0% | 37.0% | 24.0% |
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 | 62.0% | 39.0% |
| 2024-25 | 67.0% | 43.0% |
| 2023-24 | 72.0% | 49.0% |
| 2022-23 | 74.0% | 46.0% |
| 2021-22 | 68.0% | 50.0% |
| 2020-21 | 60.0% | 31.0% |
% 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
OUTPERFORMING
Top 10% of TX schools after controlling for student poverty
Actual proficiency
59.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
41.8%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+17.7pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 59% of students here test proficient in math and reading, well above the roughly 42% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations ranks schools against others at the same poverty level, not by raw scores, so a school can post high scores and still fall short of its prediction, or post lower scores and still beat it. This school clears its prediction by about 18 points, placing it in Texas's top 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 IDEA McAllen College Preparatory
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory's state test result (59.5% proficient) is higher than 3 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEA McAllen College Preparatory this school | 820 | 74.8% | 59.5% |
| Harmony Science Academy (el Paso) EL PASO | 1,034 | 73.6% | 59.5% |
| IDEA South Flores College Preparatory SAN ANTONIO | 715 | 73.0% | 49.7% |
| IDEA Ewing Halsell College Preparatory SAN ANTONIO | 611 | 74.0% | 49.9% |
| IDEA Brownsville College Preparatory BROWNSVILLE | 783 | 78.7% | 61.3% |
| H M King High School KINGSVILLE | 918 | 74.7% | 26.8% |
Matched among Texas high 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 IDEA McAllen College Preparatory ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 59.5% | #502 of 1,385 | #16 of 56 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 39.0% | #831 of 1,425 ▼ 221 | #35 of 56 ▼ 13 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 62.0% | #551 of 1,425 ▼ 177 | #14 of 56 ▼ 1 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -9.5pp | #30 of 1,184 | #3 of 56 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 820 | #670 of 2,107 | #30 of 84 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.9:1 | #1,053 of 1,344 | #51 of 56 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 9.2% | #1,220 of 1,346 | #14 of 56 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 74.8% | #481 of 1,522 | #52 of 65 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +18.3% | #234 of 672 | #4 of 18 |
Ranked against other public high 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
820
-2 (0%) vs 2020
Student : Teacher
16.9:1
was 19.6:1
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 | 820 | 48.5 | 16.9:1 | 75% (613) |
| 2023-24 | 807 | 42.2 | 19.1:1 | 75% (608) |
| 2022-23 | 773 | 46.7 | 16.6:1 | 78% (606) |
| 2020-21 | 822 | 42 | 19.6:1 | 79% (648) |
| 2017-18 | 693 | 39.1 | 17.7:1 | 82% (565) |
| 2015-16 | 490 | 23 | 21.3:1 | 88% (432) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for IDEA McAllen College Preparatory.
Since 2017-18: students up 18% (693 to 820); teachers up 24% (39.1 to 48.5).
About IDEA McAllen College Preparatory
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory is a mid-sized high school for students in MCALLEN, Texas. There are 820 students enrolled, covering grades 6 through 12.
IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS has 79,430 students spread across 125 schools.
At IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, 95% of students are Hispanic. The remaining students are 3% White. Census estimates put Hidalgo County at about 92% Hispanic, close to the school's figure. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, IDEA McAllen College Preparatory scores 9%.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1. The school has 48.5 full-time-equivalent teachers. The gap from the 15.1:1 average for high schools in Texas is 1.8 students per teacher. In all, 75% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The gap from the 85% average for public schools in Hidalgo County is 10 points.
Among Texas public high schools, IDEA McAllen College Preparatory outscored 63%, which works out to a B on the allk12 Grade.
When test results are adjusted for free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, IDEA McAllen College Preparatory ranks in the top 10% of Texas schools. It scores 59.5%; the prediction is 41.8%.
For the population of Hidalgo County, the median household earns about $54,338 a year, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 21% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 23%. IDEA McAllen College Preparatory shares Hidalgo County with 363 other public schools.
IDEA McAllen Academy is less than a tenth of a mile from IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, the shortest distance to any other public school. Other public schools within five miles: at least 8. The school's 59.5% average proficiency ranks 4th among 8 nearby schools.
On the NCES locale scale, the school is City: Mid-size. IDEA McAllen College Preparatory is run as a public charter school.
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, enrollment moved from 822 to 820, a small change. The ratio was 19.6:1 in 2020-21 and 16.9:1 in 2024-25.
This page collects posts and questions about IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, such as open houses, carpools, and field trips. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.
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 IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- IDEA College Preparatory PharrHigh · 848 students
- IDEA Montopolis College PreparatoryHigh · 835 students
- IDEA College PrepHigh · 823 students
- IDEA Riverview College PreparatoryHigh · 813 students
- IDEA College Preparatory MissionHigh · 798 students
- IDEA Edinburg College PreparatoryHigh · 795 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
- Gonzalez Elementary SchoolElementary · 818 students
- Milam Elementary SchoolElementary · 811 students
Nearby schools
- IDEA McAllen Academy0.0 mi · 738
- Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy0.7 mi · 481
- Romulo D Martinez Elementary School0.7 mi · 525
- Sharyland High School0.9 mi · 1,527
- Rowe High School1.3 mi · 1,905
- Alvarez Elementary School1.3 mi · 435
Frequently asked questions
About IDEA McAllen College PreparatoryHow many students attend IDEA McAllen College Preparatory?
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory enrolls approximately 820 students in grades 06-12.
Is IDEA McAllen College Preparatory an elementary, middle, or high school?
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory is a high school covering grades 06-12.
How many teachers does IDEA McAllen College Preparatory have?
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory employs 49 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.9:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at IDEA McAllen College Preparatory?
At IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, the student body is approximately 3% White, 95% Hispanic, 0% Black, 1% Asian.
Is IDEA McAllen College Preparatory public or private?
IDEA McAllen College Preparatory is a public K-12 school operated as a charter, overseen by IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.