Enrollment
59
High
DISTRICT 760 · STATE 796
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HARLINGEN CISD·NCES 482253006940
Secondary Alter Center
1310 SAM HOUSTON, HARLINGEN, TX 78550 · (956) 427-3210 · Cameron County
GRADES 06–12HIGH13-CITYTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL59 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
11.3:1
5 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.0:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
92%
54 students
DISTRICT 80% · STATE 65%
Community
0
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 | 1 | 2% |
| Grade 7 | 10 | 17% |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 22% |
| Grade 9 | 12 | 20% |
| Grade 10 | 15 | 25% |
| Grade 11 | 6 | 10% |
| Grade 12 | 2 | 3% |
Student demographics
10%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 10% · 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 AboveMathematics
0.0%
own-school result
State assessment results for this school reflect a specialized student population. The figures above are the school's own reported scores; they are not directly comparable to state averages or to general-enrollment schools, so the usual state-average comparison line is suppressed here.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 0.0% | 0.0% | 40.0% | 60.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Not computed for this schoolBeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →
Where Secondary Alter Center ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Cameron County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 59 | #1,713 of 2,107 | #32 of 46 |
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
59
+48 (+436%) vs 2020
+136% since 2000-01, when it was 25
Student : Teacher
11.3:1
was 2.2:1
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 | 59 | 5.2 | 11.3:1 | 92% (54) |
| 2023-24 | 88 | 6.1 | 14.5:1 | 86% (76) |
| 2022-23 | 104 | 6.3 | 16.5:1 | 87% (90) |
| 2020-21 | 11 | 5 | 2.2:1 | 73% (8) |
| 2017-18 | 59 | 6.6 | 9.0:1 | 85% (50) |
| 2015-16 | 84 | 7 | 12.0:1 | 90% (76) |
| 2010-11 | 42 | 7 | 6.0:1 | 93% (39) |
| 2000-01 | 25 | 7 | 3.6:1 | 88% (22) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Secondary Alter Center.
Since 2017-18: students unchanged (59 to 59); teachers down 20% (6.6 to 5.2).
About Secondary Alter Center
Secondary Alter Center is a small high school serving families in HARLINGEN, Texas. It educates 59 students in grades 6 through 12. The typical figure for high schools in Texas is about 796 students.
Federal data list 31 schools in HARLINGEN CISD, with 17,506 students enrolled.
The large majority of students at Secondary Alter Center, 95%, are Hispanic. The next largest groups are 5% White. By the diversity index, Secondary Alter Center comes in at 10%.
Federal staffing data show 5.2 full-time-equivalent teachers at Secondary Alter Center and a ratio of 11.3:1. The average ratio among high schools in Texas is 15.1:1, higher than at this school. The count of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch equals 92% of enrollment.
Within Cameron County, median household income is about $52,601, about 22% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 21% of residents are in poverty. Federal data list 187 public schools in Cameron County, with a combined enrollment of about 97,392.
The shortest distance from Secondary Alter Center to another public school is about 0.8 miles, to Horizon Montessori III - STEM Academy. The five-mile area around Secondary Alter Center holds at least 8 other public schools.
Federal records code the school's setting as City: Small.
Reported enrollment: 11 (2020-21) and 59 (2024-25). These figures may describe different sets of grades. In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 2.2:1; by 2024-25 it was 11.3:1.
The Secondary Alter Center community page is open for posts about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Cameron County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
426,120
Census ACS
Median income
$52,601
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
22%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
21%
Below federal line
Schools in county
187
97,392 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in HARLINGEN CISD
- Harlingen High SchoolHigh · 2,433 students
- Harlingen H S - SouthHigh · 2,019 students
- Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman AcademyCombined · 1,035 students
- Moises Vela Middle SchoolMiddle · 761 students
- Treasure Hills Elementary SchoolElementary · 758 students
- Gutierrez Middle SchoolMiddle · 747 students
Other schools in HARLINGEN
- Harlingen High SchoolHigh · 2,433 students
- Harlingen H S - SouthHigh · 2,019 students
- Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman AcademyCombined · 1,035 students
- Moises Vela Middle SchoolMiddle · 761 students
- Treasure Hills Elementary SchoolElementary · 758 students
- Gutierrez Middle SchoolMiddle · 747 students
Nearby schools
- Horizon Montessori III - STEM Academy0.8 mi · 291
- Treasure Hills Elementary School0.9 mi · 758
- Harlingen Collegiate High School0.9 mi · 353
- Coakley Middle School0.9 mi · 687
- Houston Elementary School0.9 mi · 420
- Vernon Middle School1.3 mi · 631
Frequently asked questions
About Secondary Alter CenterWhat is the total enrollment at Secondary Alter Center?
Secondary Alter Center enrolls approximately 59 students in grades 06-12.
Is Secondary Alter Center an elementary, middle, or high school?
Secondary Alter Center is a high school covering grades 06-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Secondary Alter Center?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Secondary Alter Center is approximately 11.3:1 (5 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Secondary Alter Center?
Secondary Alter Center reports a student body of 5% White, 95% Hispanic.
Who oversees Secondary Alter Center?
Secondary Alter Center is overseen by HARLINGEN CISD in Cameron County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.