Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Summary:

Idea Elsa College Preparatory is a public charter secondary school serving grades 6-11 in Elsa, Texas, with a predominantly Hispanic student population of 532. As part of the Idea Public Schools district, the school has maintained impressive metrics, including very low dropout rates, strong academic performance on STAAR assessments, and a focus on resource allocation for student success.

Idea Elsa College Preparatory stands out for its exceptional academic achievements, outperforming both the Idea Public Schools district and the state of Texas on various STAAR assessments, particularly in reading and English language arts. The school's dropout rates are also remarkably low, ranging from 0.0% to 0.8% in recent years, significantly lower than the state average. Additionally, Idea Elsa spends between $12,099 and $13,807 per student, higher than the state average, indicating a commitment to providing resources for student success.

When compared to nearby schools, Idea Elsa College Preparatory demonstrates its strengths. While Idea Owassa College Preparatory has similar demographic and performance characteristics, Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy in the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District has lower test scores, particularly in math and science. Conversely, the South Texas Independent School District (ISD) Virtual Academy, a public virtual school, outperforms Idea Elsa and the state on most STAAR assessments, likely due to its selective student population.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative 6-11

431 S Fannin
Elsa, TX 78543

(956) 567-4700

District: Idea Public Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,099

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 632

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.7%

White:

3.0%

African American:

0.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Idea Elsa College Preparatory ranks better than 58.8% of middle schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.05. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (96.7%), White (3%), Asian (0.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 91.8% 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 Elsa College Preparatory is 16.1. 3 alternative schools in the Idea Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Idea Elsa College Preparatory employs 39 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Idea Elsa College Preparatory is $12,099, which is the 2^nd highest among 0 alternative schools in the Idea Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Idea Elsa College Preparatory:

SchoolDigger ranks Idea Elsa College Preparatory 972^nd of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Idea Elsa College Preparatory in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

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 Elsa College Preparatory

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Rank History for all students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	35.12	1441^st	2252	36.0%
2022	46.50	1116^th	2254	50.5%
2023	53.52	972^nd	2330	58.3%
2024	53.05	972^nd	2361	58.8%

See the entire list of Texas Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	59.32	401^st	1592	74.8%
2022	59.23	447^th	1643	72.8%
2023	69.46	319^th	1720	81.5%
2024	60.80	478^th	1760	72.8%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	22.06	1614^th	1712	5.7%
2022	37.19	1067^th	1757	39.3%
2023	36.42	1150^th	1815	36.6%
2024	48.42	870^th	1881	53.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	45.21	1138^th	2172	47.6%
2022	60.00	652^nd	2220	70.6%
2023	68.54	466^th	2251	79.3%
2024	68.50	434^th	2224	80.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	39.17	1285^th	2151	40.3%
2022	52.10	962^nd	2221	56.7%
2023	60.69	741^st	2241	66.9%

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

Rank History for At Risk students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	49.20	888^th	2118	58.1%
2022	56.20	703^rd	2182	67.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	31.47	1498^th	2168	30.9%
2022	40.24	1305^th	2228	41.4%
2023	44.61	1197^th	2245	46.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	43.99	1085^th	2043	46.9%
2022	55.49	752^nd	2077	63.8%
2023	63.46	581^st	2116	72.5%
2024	64.23	536^th	2108	74.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Alternative Schools for Hispanic 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 Elsa College Preparatory

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Total
2019	3	0	0	116	0	119
2020	5	0	0	211	0	216
2021	13	1	0	333	1	348
2022	19	1	0	423	0	443
2023	19	1	0	512	0	532
2024	19	1	1	611	0	632

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 Elsa College Preparatory

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	119	n/a	n/a	97.5
2020	216	10.0	21.6	92.1
2021	348	18.3	18.9	91.7
2022	443	25.5	17.3	93.9
2023	532	36.3	14.6	95.3
2024	632	39.0	16.1	91.8

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 Elsa College Preparatory

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	119	n/a	n/a	97.5
2020	216	10.0	21.6	92.1
2021	348	18.3	18.9	91.7
2022	443	25.5	17.3	93.9
2023	532	36.3	14.6	95.3
2024	632	39.0	16.1	91.8

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 Elsa College Preparatory

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,382 (10.0%)	$12,426 (90.0%)	$13,807
2020	$1,993 (15.1%)	$11,241 (84.9%)	$13,234
2021	$1,700 (14.1%)	$10,399 (85.9%)	$12,099

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Idea Elsa College Preparatory

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	119	532	347.1%
African American	0	1
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	116	512	341.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	3	19	533.3%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	97.5%	95.3%	2.2%

Schools Near Idea Elsa College Preparatory

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				STAAR Spanish Reading (2024)		STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2024)		STAAR EOC Algebra I (2024)	STAAR EOC Biology (2024)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2024)	STAAR Reading (2024)						STAAR Mathematics (2024)						STAAR Science (2024)		STAAR Social Studies (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Science 5th Grade	STAAR Science 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Idea Elsa College Preparatory	Public, Charter, Alternative	6-11	431 S Fannin	Elsa	78543	Hidalgo County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 567-4700	632	39	16.1	91.8%	19 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	611 (96.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					44.6	52.3	49.6	65.9	67.4				50.4	53.2	62.8				29.7	39.1				30.9	$12,099	$1,700	$10,399
Hidalgo County Boot Camp	Public, Alternative	8-11	1711 N Bridge	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(956) 969-4908	11	1	8.8	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					16.7	14.3	37.5	0.0																	$21,182	$11,335	$9,847
Horton Disciplinary Alternative Education Program	Public, Alternative	10	104 S Garza	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(956) 969-6916	0	3	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
South Texas Independent School District (Isd) Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	6-11	100 Med High Dr	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	South Texas Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(956) 514-4201	181	16	11.3	56.9%	59 (32.6%)	1 (0.6%)	117 (64.6%)	3 (1.7%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					65.8	79.4	90.9	90.5	66.7				76.5	100.0	70.2				41.2		48.6			43.5
Edinburg Alternative Education Academy	Public, Alternative	3-12	1301 E Schunior	Edinburg	78541	Hidalgo County	Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District	No	No	(n/a)	No	(956) 289-2598	0	3	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Edinburg Collegiate High School	Public, Alternative	9-11	1200 E Schunior	Edinburg	78541	Hidalgo County	Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(956) 289-2300	317	28	11.2	73.5%	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	305 (96.2%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)					97.0	90.1	91.8	96.3	94.4
Vanguard Beethoven	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2215 S Veterans Blvd	Edinburg	78539	Hidalgo County	Vanguard Academy	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 318-0211	1,714	106	16.1	89.7%	10 (0.6%)	8 (0.5%)	1,686 (98.4%)	8 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)								(n/a)					60.5	56.1	75.3	89.0	73.2	57.8	48.9	61.4	64.5	66.2	61.7	39.8	47.4	55.9	35.1	40.0	24.5	42.8	51.1	48.9	$10,472	$2,194	$8,278
Vanguard Mozart	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	155 E Business 83	Alamo	78516	Hidalgo County	Vanguard Academy	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 223-2030	1,209	76	15.8	94.2%	14 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1,195 (98.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					45.1	61.3	57.7	73.9	63.6	78.7	54.9	53.9	55.7	59.3	53.8	68.4	54.1	33.3	38.1	30.2	29.4	21.8	32.3	28.0	$11,782	$3,227	$8,555
Idea Owassa College Preparatory	Public, Charter, Alternative	6-11	1000 E Owassa Rd	Pharr	78577	Hidalgo County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 588-4300	636	41	15.5	88.5%	23 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	604 (95.0%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)								(n/a)					56.1	74.5	51.2	60.8	70.1				48.0	50.0	61.3				36.2	31.9			36.5	17.9	$12,133	$1,697	$10,436
Vanguard Rembrandt	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1200 E Kelly Ave	Pharr	78577	Hidalgo County	Vanguard Academy	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 283-0600	1,965	123	16.0	91.9%	14 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	1,946 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)								(n/a)	31.3	71.4	33.3	83.3	58.0	68.7	71.6	79.7	71.2	68.1	60.0	50.0	64.6	67.7	56.0	53.3	61.5	49.5	44.0	27.4	33.6	24.1	26.8	19.7	$10,671	$2,248	$8,424

Frequently Asked Questions about Idea Elsa College Preparatory

What is the racial makeup of Idea Elsa College Preparatory?

Students at Idea Elsa College Preparatory are 97% Hispanic, 3% White.

How many students attend Idea Elsa College Preparatory?

In the 2023-24 school year, 632 students attended Idea Elsa College Preparatory.

What district is Idea Elsa College Preparatory in?

Idea Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.