Is Pena Elementary a good school?

Pena Elementary ranks 877 th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Pena Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 472 students attended Pena Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Pena Elementary?

Students at Pena Elementary are 99% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Pena Elementary attend?

Students who attend Pena Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Garcia Middle High : Brownsville Early College High School High : Rivera Early College High School

Pena Elementary

Summary:

Pena Elementary is a public elementary school in Brownsville, Texas, serving 472 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Brownsville Independent School District (ISD), which is ranked 439 out of 968 districts in the state.

Pena Elementary stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, outpacing both the Brownsville ISD and the state of Texas in STAAR Reading and Mathematics assessments across grades 3-5. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 64.18% of 3rd graders, 70.91% of 4th graders, and 65.08% of 5th graders at Pena Elementary were proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to just 47.94% and 48.85% for the Brownsville ISD and Texas, respectively. The school's exceptional performance has earned it a ranking in the top 19% of Texas elementary schools, a significant achievement considering its high poverty rate, with over 85% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

While Pena Elementary continues to outperform its peers, the school's performance has declined over the years, dropping from the top 12% of Texas elementary schools in 2014-2015 to the top 19% in 2023-2024. This trend is in contrast to nearby schools like Paredes Elementary and Hudson Elementary, which are also ranked in the top 15% and top 20% of Texas elementary schools, respectively. Additionally, Pena Elementary's English Language Learner (ELL) students perform below the state average, suggesting a need to focus on improving educational outcomes for this student subgroup.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4975 Salida De La Luna
Brownsville, TX 78526

(956) 547-7100

District: Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,149

Students who attend Pena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Garcia Middle
High:	Brownsville Early College High School
	Rivera Early College High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 472

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

99.2%

White:

0.4%

African American:

0.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.5%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Pena Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Pena Elementary ranks better than 81.2% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 5^th among 34 ranked elementary schools in the Brownsville Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.51. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (99.2%), White (0.4%), African American (0.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pena Elementary is 17.2, which is the highest among 34 elementary schools in the Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)! (See more...)

Compare Pena Elementary employs 27.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pena Elementary is $11,149. 20 elementary schools in the Brownsville Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Pena Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Brownsville Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Brownsville Independent School District (Isd) 439^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Pena Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2011	68.70	1272^nd	4095	68.9%
2012	53.74	2060^th	4206	51.0%
2013	66.79	1342^nd	4221	68.2%
2014	77.61	834^th	4260	80.4%
2015	83.80	528^th	4320	87.8%
2016	78.38	827^th	4286	80.7%
2017	66.40	1186^th	4329	72.6%
2018	71.40	969^th	4359	77.8%
2019	69.24	1106^th	4479	75.3%
2021	41.66	2462^nd	4578	46.2%
2022	58.51	1676^th	4581	63.4%
2023	67.08	1290^th	4647	72.2%
2024	76.51	877^th	4675	81.2%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	69.04	689^th	3226	78.6%
2019	56.42	1251^st	3333	62.5%
2021	39.31	2120^th	3446	38.5%
2022	42.02	2116^th	3487	39.3%
2023	49.44	1709^th	3556	51.9%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	54.34	1179^th	3558	66.9%
2019	61.90	858^th	3684	76.7%
2021	52.31	1300^th	3799	65.8%
2022	46.70	1789^th	3952	54.7%
2023	55.92	1288^th	4086	68.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	82.15	371^st	4264	91.3%
2019	76.90	505^th	4309	88.3%
2021	47.38	2221^st	4451	50.1%
2022	65.61	1148^th	4477	74.4%
2023	78.13	527^th	4521	88.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	60.31	1475^th	4306	65.7%
2019	60.77	1461^st	4348	66.4%
2021	38.50	2658^th	4499	40.9%
2022	58.62	1635^th	4561	64.2%
2023	61.45	1490^th	4588	67.5%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	57.53	1621^st	3106	47.8%
2019	61.25	1427^th	3184	55.2%
2021	34.89	2215^th	3006	26.3%
2022	32.02	2443^rd	2958	17.4%
2023	60.81	1420^th	2980	52.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	76.81	519^th	4240	87.8%
2019	74.95	604^th	4295	85.9%
2021	41.64	2445^th	4331	43.5%
2022	59.21	1467^th	4461	67.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	80.73	629^th	4319	85.4%
2019	73.73	867^th	4357	80.1%
2021	44.99	2260^th	4498	49.8%
2022	56.43	1793^rd	4563	60.7%
2023	69.05	1166^th	4585	74.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	77.29	574^th	4168	86.2%
2019	74.44	670^th	4188	84.0%
2021	48.95	1999^th	4329	53.8%
2022	64.11	1212^th	4376	72.3%
2023	73.89	765^th	4401	82.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary 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 Pena Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	3	4	0	623	0	n/a	n/a	630
2011	2	3	2	680	0	0	0	687
2012	2	0	2	701	0	0	0	705
2013	6	0	1	691	0	0	0	698
2014	4	0	0	650	0	0	0	654
2015	4	0	0	671	0	0	0	675
2016	4	0	1	658	0	0	0	663
2017	4	2	0	632	0	0	0	638
2018	5	2	1	596	0	0	0	604
2019	2	4	1	548	1	0	1	557
2020	3	0	1	527	0	0	0	531
2021	2	0	1	460	0	0	1	464
2022	2	0	0	465	0	0	0	467
2023	2	1	0	468	0	0	1	472

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 Pena Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	630	39.2	16.0	0
2011	687	39.9	17.1	0
2012	705	42.8	16.4	0
2013	698	44.2	15.7	96
2014	654	39.8	16.3	95.6
2015	675	41.0	16.4	95.3
2016	663	42.0	15.7	95.3
2017	638	39.0	16.3	97
2018	604	36.8	16.3	96.4
2019	557	35.1	15.8	89.6
2020	531	34.4	15.3	89.1
2021	464	31.6	14.6	83.6
2022	467	31.4	14.8	85.4
2023	472	27.4	17.2	87.5

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 Pena Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	630	39.2	16.0	0
2011	687	39.9	17.1	0
2012	705	42.8	16.4	0
2013	698	44.2	15.7	96
2014	654	39.8	16.3	95.6
2015	675	41.0	16.4	95.3
2016	663	42.0	15.7	95.3
2017	638	39.0	16.3	97
2018	604	36.8	16.3	96.4
2019	557	35.1	15.8	89.6
2020	531	34.4	15.3	89.1
2021	464	31.6	14.6	83.6
2022	467	31.4	14.8	85.4
2023	472	27.4	17.2	87.5

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 Pena Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$899 (10.0%)	$8,081 (90.0%)	$8,980
2020	$1,156 (11.5%)	$8,897 (88.5%)	$10,053
2021	$1,563 (14.0%)	$9,585 (86.0%)	$11,149

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pena Elementary

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 1106^th of 4479 Elementary schools	Ranks 1290^th of 4647 Elementary schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Pena Elementary)	49	45	4%
3rd Grade Reading (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	44	52	8%
3rd Grade Reading (Texas)	44	50	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pena Elementary)	77	52	25%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	54	49	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)	48	43	5%
4th Grade Reading (Pena Elementary)	41	58	17%
4th Grade Reading (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	50	46	4%
4th Grade Reading (Texas)	43	47	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pena Elementary)	39	56	17%
4th Grade Mathematics (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	52	52
4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	46	47	1%
5th Grade Reading (Pena Elementary)	60	72	12%
5th Grade Reading (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	54	58	4%
5th Grade Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pena Elementary)	77	58	19%
5th Grade Mathematics (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	69	62	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	56	50	6%
5th Grade Science (Pena Elementary)	52	31	21%
5th Grade Science (Brownsville Independent School District (Isd))	59	33	26%
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	557	472	15.3%
African American	4	1	75%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	548	468	14.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	2
Two or More Races	1	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89.6%	87.5%	2.1%

Schools Near Pena Elementary

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 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th 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
Pena Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4975 Salida De La Luna	Brownsville	78526	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 547-7100	472	27	17.2	87.5%	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	468 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	76.5	877^th of 4675 public elementary schools	81.2%		67.1	1290^th of 4647 public elementary schools	72.2%	413						64.2	70.9	65.1	62.7	60.0	60.3	19.1	$11,149	$1,563	$9,585
Idea Robindale Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	3802 E Ruben Torres Sr Blvd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 832-5300	718	34	21.1	91.8%	38 (5.3%)	1 (0.1%)	676 (94.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46.6	2377^th of 4675 public elementary schools	49.2%		43.3	2579^th of 4647 public elementary schools	44.5%	202						50.8	62.7	51.9	21.8	34.9	47.7	18.2	$12,435	$2,201	$10,233
Gonzalez Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4350 Coffeeport Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 831-6030	653	40	16.1	91.3%	23 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	630 (96.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64.9	1349^th of 4675 public elementary schools	71.1%		67.3	1274^th of 4647 public elementary schools	72.6%	75	0.0					44.3	65.4	59.6	38.0	73.2	67.8	15.7	$10,462	$1,365	$9,097
Vermillion Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6895 Fm 802	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 831-6060	618	41	15.0	99.2%	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	613 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54.4	1898^th of 4675 public elementary schools	59.4%		64.6	1390^th of 4647 public elementary schools	70.1%	508						43.6	78.6	46.1	36.0	75.7	47.7	16.9	$11,161	$1,639	$9,523
Breeden Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3955 Dana Ave	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 554-4730	569	35	16.4	81.4%	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	567 (99.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65	1337^th of 4675 public elementary schools	71.4%		74.6	978^th of 4647 public elementary schools	79.0%	359						37.8	67.1	60.8	34.2	54.0	69.6	33.3	$10,994	$1,450	$9,544
Gallegos Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2700 Avenida Rancho Viejo	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 547-4230	396	29	13.5	98.7%	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	395 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45.7	2443^rd of 4675 public elementary schools	47.7%		47	2352^nd of 4647 public elementary schools	49.4%	91		80.0				43.1	39.1	54.9	31.4	50.0	44.2	21.2	$12,222	$1,700	$10,522
Hudson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2980 Fm 802	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 698-0447	666	45	14.7	86.3%	10 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	646 (97.0%)	8 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	75.4	925^th of 4675 public elementary schools	80.2%		67	1295^th of 4647 public elementary schools	72.1%	370						63.0	62.0	64.3	48.2	63.3	81.9	20.2	$10,893	$1,709	$9,184
Champion Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4750 Bowie Rd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 832-6200	655	44	14.7	95.4%	11 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	644 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.9	1921^st of 4675 public elementary schools	58.9%		53.2	1992^nd of 4647 public elementary schools	57.1%	71	38.5		23.1			42.9	60.5	37.0	41.7	55.3	51.9	22.2	$10,648	$1,431	$9,217
Egly Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	445 Land O Lakes	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 548-8850	546	35	15.8	93.0%	9 (1.6%)	4 (0.7%)	531 (97.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49.7	2169^th of 4675 public elementary schools	53.6%		44.6	2495^th of 4647 public elementary schools	46.3%	326		40.0		40.0	20.0	47.5	48.5	52.2	42.5	33.8	54.4	17.8	$12,851	$1,621	$11,230
El Jardin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6911 Boca Chica Blvd	Brownsville	78521	Cameron County	Brownsville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 831-6000	360	23	15.8	96.4%	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	352 (97.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43.8	2567^th of 4675 public elementary schools	45.1%		41.4	2700^th of 4647 public elementary schools	41.9%	133						51.0	46.2	53.1	27.5	38.5	50.0	12.2	$14,317	$2,536	$11,782

Pena Elementary

Brownsville Independent School District (Isd):

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Rank History for Pena Elementary

Rank History for all students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for At Risk students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Pena Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pena Elementary

Enrollment information for Pena Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Pena Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Pena Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pena Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Pena Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Pena Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Pena Elementary

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