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What advice would you give to incoming students at THELMA ROSA SALINAS STEM EARLY COLLEGE H S?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
471
High
DISTRICT 1,218 · STATE 796
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·LA JOYA ISD·NCES 482613012880
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School
801 N COLLEGE DR, LA JOYA, TX 78560 · (956) 323-2240 · Hidalgo County
GRADES 09–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL471 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 87% of Texas public high schools
- ATest 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.
- 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
14.8:1
32 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.0:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
94%
442 students
DISTRICT 92% · 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 9 | 158 | 34% |
| Grade 10 | 118 | 25% |
| Grade 11 | 110 | 23% |
| Grade 12 | 85 | 18% |
Student demographics
0%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 0% · 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
8.0%
TX avg 54.5% . -52.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
66.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +30.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 8 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 66 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are down about 52 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 30 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 0.0% | 8.0% | 42.0% | 50.0% |
| Mathematics | 12.0% | 54.0% | 31.0% | 3.0% |
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 | 8.0% | 66.0% |
| 2024-25 | 84.0% | 63.0% |
| 2023-24 | 87.0% | 64.0% |
| 2022-23 | 81.0% | 64.0% |
| 2021-22 | 64.0% | 52.0% |
| 2020-21 | 60.0% | 36.0% |
% 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
81.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
33.6%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+47.6pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 81% of students here test proficient in math and reading, well above the roughly 34% 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 48 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 Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School's state test result (81.3% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School this school | 471 | 93.8% | 81.3% |
| IDEA Sports Park College Preparatory BROWNSVILLE | 457 | 92.6% | 44.1% |
| Psja Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School PHARR | 553 | 95.5% | 74.5% |
| Iltexas Liberty High School CLEVELAND | 421 | 96.0% | 27.9% |
| Presidio High School PRESIDIO | 418 | 94.0% | 46.1% |
| Mission Collegiate High School ALTON | 399 | 91.7% | 74.8% |
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 Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 81.3% | #84 of 1,385 | #5 of 56 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 66.0% | #193 of 1,425 ▼ 2 | #7 of 56 no change |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 8.0% | #1,424 of 1,425 ▼ 1,311 | #56 of 56 ▼ 50 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -35.5pp | #3 of 1,184 | #1 of 56 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 471 | #938 of 2,107 | #46 of 84 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.8:1 | #709 of 1,344 | #33 of 56 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 0.0% | #1,345 of 1,346 | #56 of 56 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 93.8% | #96 of 1,522 | #18 of 65 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +11.6% | #336 of 672 | #5 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
471
-25 (-5%) vs 2020
Student : Teacher
14.8:1
was 17.1:1
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 | 471 | 31.7 | 14.8:1 | 94% (442) |
| 2023-24 | 439 | 31.9 | 13.8:1 | 99% (436) |
| 2022-23 | 461 | 30.4 | 15.2:1 | 98% (450) |
| 2020-21 | 496 | 29 | 17.1:1 | 100% (494) |
| 2017-18 | 422 | 26.2 | 16.1:1 | 96% (404) |
| 2015-16 | 404 | 26 | 15.5:1 | 98% (394) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School.
Since 2017-18: students up 12% (422 to 471); teachers up 21% (26.2 to 31.7).
About Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is a small high school serving families in LA JOYA, Texas. Enrollment is 471 students in 2024-25, and the school serves grades 9 through 12. Against the 796-student average for high schools in Texas, enrollment here is 41% lower.
District-wide, LA JOYA ISD has 36 schools and 22,942 students.
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School's enrollment is 100% Hispanic. The county population is about 92% Hispanic. The school's diversity index is 0%, meaning two students picked at random have a 0% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
The school employs the equivalent of 31.7 full-time teachers, for a ratio of 14.8:1. For comparison, high schools in Texas average 15.1:1. The free or reduced-price lunch rate at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is 94%. For comparison, public schools in Hidalgo County average 85%.
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is graded A by allk12, scoring above 87% of Texas public high schools once test results, poverty-adjusted performance, and the recent trend are combined.
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is in the top 10% of Texas schools on the allk12 BeatsExpectations measure. Based on its free or reduced-price lunch share, the model predicts an average proficiency rate on state tests of 33.6%. The school's actual rate is 81.3%, 47.6 points higher.
County data help place the school in context: in Hidalgo County, the median household income is $54,338, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 21%, and about 23% of people live in poverty. In all, Hidalgo County has 364 public schools and roughly 212,859 students.
The next-closest public school is La Joya High School, about 0.2 miles away. The count of other public schools within five miles is at least 8. Its average proficiency rate of 81.3% is above the 46.1% average for nearby schools.
Under the NCES locale system, Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is Suburb: Large.
Enrollment has fallen by 25 students since 2020-21, to 471. Over the same period, the student-to-teacher ratio fell to 14.8:1, from 17.1:1.
Families, students, and staff can use this page to discuss school safety, transportation, and start times at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
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 LA JOYA ISD
- La Joya High SchoolHigh · 2,405 students
- La Joya Palmview High SchoolHigh · 2,073 students
- Juarez-Lincoln High SchoolHigh · 1,952 students
- Enrique Kiki Camarena Elementary SchoolElementary · 715 students
- John F Kennedy Elementary SchoolElementary · 676 students
- Ann Richards Middle SchoolMiddle · 665 students
Other schools in LA JOYA
- La Joya High SchoolHigh · 2,405 students
- IDEA La Joya AcademyElementary · 656 students
- Lorenzo De Zavala Middle SchoolMiddle · 545 students
- Tabasco Elementary SchoolElementary · 544 students
- IDEA La Joya College PreparatoryMiddle · 344 students
- Jimmy Carter Early College High SchoolHigh · 327 students
Nearby schools
- La Joya High School0.2 mi · 2,405
- Jimmy Carter Early College High School0.3 mi · 327
- Hope Academy0.5 mi · 78
- IDEA La Joya College Preparatory0.7 mi · 344
- IDEA La Joya Academy0.7 mi · 656
- Lorenzo De Zavala Middle School0.7 mi · 545
Frequently asked questions
About Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High SchoolHow many students attend Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School?
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School enrolls approximately 471 students in grades 09-12.
Is Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many students per teacher at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School?
Approximately 14.8:1 students per teacher at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School.
What is the student diversity at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School?
Student demographics at Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School are roughly 100% Hispanic.
What district is Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School in?
Thelma Rosa Salinas STEM Early College High School is part of LA JOYA ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.