Is Idea Academy a good school?

Idea Academy ranks 2974 th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Idea Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 803 students attended Idea Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Idea Academy?

Students at Idea Academy are 97% Hispanic, 3% White.

Idea Academy

Summary:

Idea Academy is a public charter elementary school located in Donna, Texas, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 803 students. The school has a predominantly Hispanic student population, with over 96% of students identifying as Hispanic, and is part of the Donna Independent School District (Isd), which is ranked 455 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Idea Academy's performance on STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) tests is generally lower than the state and Idea Public Schools district averages across various grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Idea Academy's proficiency rates in STAAR Reading for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades were 50%, 49.11%, and 42.42%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 48.85%, 50.66%, and 53.96%. Similarly, in STAAR Mathematics, Idea Academy's proficiency rates for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades were 34.75%, 36.21%, and 32.33%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 40.86%, 44.67%, and 48.96%. The school's performance on STAAR tests for students with special needs, low socioeconomic status, and at-risk students has also been mixed, with some subgroups performing better than others compared to the state and district.

Idea Academy faces several challenges, including high poverty and free/reduced lunch rates, with over 98% of students eligible for these programs. Additionally, the school's student-teacher ratio has increased from 14.2 in 2020-2021 to 24.4 in 2022-2023, indicating a potential increase in class sizes and a potential impact on the quality of instruction. When compared to the nearby Capt D Salinas II Elementary, Julian S Adame, and other Donna Independent School District (Isd) elementary schools, Idea Academy's performance on STAAR tests is generally on par or slightly better in some areas, but still lags behind the state averages.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

401 S 1st St
Donna, TX 78537

(956) 464-0203

District: Idea Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
2974^th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,629

Student/teacher ratio: 24.4

Number of students: 803

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.5%

White:

3.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.8%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Idea Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Idea Academy ranks worse than 63.6% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 40^th among 55 ranked elementary schools in the Idea Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.3. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (96.5%), White (3.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Idea Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Idea Academy is 24.4. 40 elementary schools in the Idea Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Idea Academy employs 32.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Idea Academy is $8,629. 42 elementary schools in the Idea Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Idea Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Idea Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Idea Public Schools 455^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Idea Academy

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Rank History for all students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2010	61.33	1689^th	3937	57.1%
2011	43.58	2768^th	4095	32.4%
2012	27.06	3564^th	4206	15.3%
2013	19.47	3823^rd	4221	9.4%
2014	33.72	3216^th	4260	24.5%
2015	61.29	1713^th	4320	60.3%
2016	59.45	1800^th	4286	58.0%
2017	48.91	2030^th	4329	53.1%
2018	42.80	2371^st	4359	45.6%
2019	45.43	2318^th	4479	48.2%
2021	27.40	3357^th	4578	26.7%
2022	43.41	2528^th	4581	44.8%
2023	48.26	2281^st	4647	50.9%
2024	37.30	2974^th	4675	36.4%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	38.97	2103^rd	3226	34.8%
2019	49.03	1620^th	3333	51.4%
2021	39.29	2123^rd	3446	38.4%
2022	48.34	1749^th	3487	49.8%
2023	51.93	1583^rd	3556	55.5%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	23.26	3149^th	3558	11.5%
2019	58.16	1020^th	3684	72.3%
2021	38.24	2169^th	3799	42.9%
2022	53.68	1366^th	3952	65.4%
2023	43.60	2039^th	4086	50.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	55.39	1684^th	4264	60.5%
2019	59.35	1400^th	4309	67.5%
2021	39.55	2768^th	4451	37.8%
2022	59.23	1516^th	4477	66.1%
2023	64.88	1191^st	4521	73.7%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	41.04	2551^st	4306	40.8%
2019	46.76	2233^rd	4348	48.6%
2021	25.55	3490^th	4499	22.4%
2022	40.91	2720^th	4561	40.4%
2023	52.06	2023^rd	4588	55.9%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	47.38	2126^th	4240	49.9%
2019	67.95	890^th	4295	79.3%
2021	42.04	2420^th	4331	44.1%
2022	62.41	1265^th	4461	71.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	44.10	2313^th	4319	46.4%
2019	43.60	2423^rd	4357	44.4%
2021	32.57	2998^th	4498	33.3%
2022	47.09	2323^rd	4563	49.1%
2023	45.39	2427^th	4585	47.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	49.84	1947^th	4168	53.3%
2019	51.99	1845^th	4188	55.9%
2021	34.85	2927^th	4329	32.4%
2022	50.39	2063^rd	4376	52.9%
2023	56.86	1665^th	4401	62.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Idea Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.68	2290^th	3106	26.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Idea Academy

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Year	White	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	17	6	671	0	n/a	n/a	694
2009	8	4	652	0	n/a	n/a	664
2010	7	4	671	0	n/a	n/a	682
2011	7	0	616	0	3	0	626
2012	4	0	678	0	1	0	683
2013	7	0	701	2	0	1	711
2014	7	0	691	2	0	1	701
2015	6	0	692	1	0	1	700
2016	8	1	676	1	0	1	687
2017	9	1	827	1	0	1	839
2018	14	1	887	0	0	1	903
2019	14	2	872	0	1	0	889
2020	25	1	846	0	1	0	873
2021	32	1	861	0	0	0	894
2022	28	1	739	0	0	0	768
2023	28	0	775	0	0	0	803

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Idea Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	694	34.0	20.4	81.8
2009	664	32.0	20.8	85.2
2010	682	34.0	20.0	85.5
2011	626	31.8	19.6	85.8
2012	683	22.0	31.0	87.6
2013	711	23.7	29.9	90.7
2014	701	27.0	25.9	93.7
2015	700	26.0	26.9	94.1
2016	687	27.0	25.4	93.6
2017	839	29.8	28.1	93.9
2018	903	42.9	21.0	96.7
2019	889	n/a	n/a	95.8
2020	873	32.1	27.1	95.1
2021	894	62.9	14.2	98.8
2022	768	36.0	21.3	98.6
2023	803	32.8	24.4	98.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Idea Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	694	34.0	20.4	81.8
2009	664	32.0	20.8	85.2
2010	682	34.0	20.0	85.5
2011	626	31.8	19.6	85.8
2012	683	22.0	31.0	87.6
2013	711	23.7	29.9	90.7
2014	701	27.0	25.9	93.7
2015	700	26.0	26.9	94.1
2016	687	27.0	25.4	93.6
2017	839	29.8	28.1	93.9
2018	903	42.9	21.0	96.7
2019	889	n/a	n/a	95.8
2020	873	32.1	27.1	95.1
2021	894	62.9	14.2	98.8
2022	768	36.0	21.3	98.6
2023	803	32.8	24.4	98.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Idea Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,356 (14.9%)	$7,733 (85.1%)	$9,089
2020	$1,627 (18.0%)	$7,397 (82.0%)	$9,024
2021	$1,826 (21.2%)	$6,803 (78.8%)	$8,629

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Idea Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 2318^th of 4479 Elementary schools	Ranks 2281^st of 4647 Elementary schools	2.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Idea Academy)	38	49	11%
3rd Grade Reading (Idea Public Schools)	43	47	4%
3rd Grade Reading (Texas)	44	50	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Idea Academy)	30	40	10%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Idea Public Schools)	41	35	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)	48	43	5%
4th Grade Reading (Idea Academy)	40	40
4th Grade Reading (Idea Public Schools)	44	46	2%
4th Grade Reading (Texas)	43	47	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Idea Academy)	40	40
4th Grade Mathematics (Idea Public Schools)	43	38	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	46	47	1%
5th Grade Reading (Idea Academy)	50	53	3%
5th Grade Reading (Idea Public Schools)	54	58	4%
5th Grade Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Idea Academy)	51	58	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Idea Public Schools)	59	47	12%
5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	56	50	6%
5th Grade Science (Idea Academy)	55	28	27%
5th Grade Science (Idea Public Schools)	60	37	23%
5th Grade Science (Texas)	48	34	14%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	889	803	9.7%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	872	775	11.1%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	14	28	100%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	95.8%	98.8%	2.9%

Schools Near Idea Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2024)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2024)			STAAR Spanish Science (2024)	STAAR Reading (2024)			STAAR Mathematics (2024)			STAAR Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Science 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Idea Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	401 S 1st St	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-0203	803	33	24.4	98.8%	28 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	775 (96.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37.3	2974^th of 4675 public elementary schools	36.4%		48.3	2281^st of 4647 public elementary schools	50.9%	693	0.0	18.8	0.0	0.0	8.3	0.0	0.0	50.0	49.1	42.4	34.8	36.2	32.3	12.9	$8,629	$1,826	$6,803
M Rivas Pri Discovery Academy	Public	PK, KG-2	503 S Hutto Rd	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1990	349	21	16.3	92.8%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	349 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)															$14,031	$4,403	$9,628
J W Caceres Discovery Intermediate Academy	Public	2-5	503 S Hutto Rd	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1995	262	20	13.0	95.8%	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	260 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43.1	2636^th of 4675 public elementary schools	43.6%		25.6	3651^st of 4647 public elementary schools	21.4%	1015	5.0		16.7	5.6	0.0			56.8	46.2	48.2	25.3	42.9	41.2	15.3	$11,127	$2,475	$8,652
A M Ochoa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	424 S 11th St	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1900	360	24	15.2	94.2%	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	358 (99.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26.9	3628^th of 4675 public elementary schools	22.4%		36.4	3010^th of 4647 public elementary schools	35.2%	618	0.0	12.5	15.4	13.3		20.0	0.0	34.8	42.3	29.5	26.1	35.7	37.7	11.8	$11,918	$2,840	$9,078
Le Noir Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	316 N Main St	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1685	413	25	16.4	87.4%	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	411 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36.6	3027^th of 4675 public elementary schools	35.3%		17	4181^st of 4647 public elementary schools	10.0%	1154	25.0	30.8	18.2	33.3	53.9		0.0	50.0	44.7	37.5	35.2	40.4	37.0	13.4	$10,638	$2,051	$8,588
C Stainke Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1309 S Ave	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1940	588	33	17.9	95.6%	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	585 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34.7	3140^th of 4675 public elementary schools	32.8%		17.3	4158^th of 4647 public elementary schools	10.5%	1018	16.7		16.7	16.7		16.7	0.0	33.3	31.5	45.5	30.0	27.8	54.6	19.7	$10,513	$2,170	$8,343
Guzman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	510 S D Salinas Blvd	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1920	376	22	17.4	98.4%	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	374 (99.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36.6	3026^th of 4675 public elementary schools	35.3%		22.6	3846^th of 4647 public elementary schools	17.2%	820	0.0	33.3		0.0				38.8	43.9	43.1	24.5	47.5	39.7	15.5	$11,031	$2,296	$8,735
Eloy Garza Salazar Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3207 N Goolie Rd	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1977	436	26	16.8	93.6%	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	433 (99.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32.9	3256^th of 4675 public elementary schools	30.4%		25.5	3665^th of 4647 public elementary schools	21.1%	409	22.2	15.4	30.0	11.1	0.0	11.1	10.0	34.4	48.5	40.4	39.1	31.3	28.3	13.5	$11,002	$1,786	$9,216
T Price Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2906 E Roberts	Donna	78537	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 464-1303	417	26	16.0	96.6%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	411 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	50.7	2115^th of 4675 public elementary schools	54.8%		32.7	3241^st of 4647 public elementary schools	30.3%	1126	10.0	6.3	13.3	0.0	0.0			48.3	44.2	45.7	34.3	51.9	45.6	29.5	$10,365	$1,816	$8,550
Capt D Salinas II Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	333 E Hwy 83	Alamo	78516	Hidalgo County	Donna Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 783-1332	416	29	14.4	95.7%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	416 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38.2	2916^th of 4675 public elementary schools	37.6%		43.3	2583^rd of 4647 public elementary schools	44.4%	333	3.1	36.8	38.1	9.1				47.6	44.3	22.7	26.8	45.5	48.4	9.7	$11,185	$2,541	$8,644

Idea Academy

Idea Public Schools:

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Rank History for Idea Academy

Rank History for all students at Idea Academy

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Idea Academy

Rank History for Special Education students at Idea Academy

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Idea Academy

Rank History for Female students at Idea Academy

Rank History for At Risk students at Idea Academy

Rank History for Male students at Idea Academy

Rank History for Hispanic students at Idea Academy

Rank History for White students at Idea Academy

Enrollment information for Idea Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Idea Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Idea Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Idea Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Idea Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Idea Academy

Idea Academy

M Rivas Pri Discovery Academy

J W Caceres Discovery Intermediate Academy

A M Ochoa Elementary

Le Noir Elementary

C Stainke Elementary

Guzman Elementary

Eloy Garza Salazar Elementary

T Price Elementary

Capt D Salinas II Elementary

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