Cathey Middle

Summary:

Cathey Middle is a public middle school located in McAllen, Texas, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 821. It is part of the McAllen Independent School District, which is ranked 323 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cathey Middle consistently performs above the state and district averages in STAAR/STAAR EOC assessments across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, Cathey Middle's proficiency rates in STAAR Reading (6th-8th grade) and STAAR Algebra I EOC were significantly higher than the McAllen ISD and Texas state averages. The school's student subgroups, such as Asian, Hispanic, and English Language Learners, often rank among the top in the state, indicating Cathey Middle's ability to support the academic growth of diverse student populations. Additionally, the school has maintained a 0% dropout rate for the past several years, which is an impressive achievement compared to the state and district averages.

Cathey Middle's consistent high performance is noteworthy, especially considering the school's high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (68.82% in 2022-2023). When compared to other middle schools in the same district and nearby districts, such as Michael E. Fossum Middle and Morris Middle, Cathey Middle generally outperforms its peers in academic assessments, particularly in STAAR Reading and Mathematics. This achievement, along with the school's commitment to equity and inclusion, suggests that Cathey Middle is effectively allocating resources to support student learning and academic success.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1800 N Cynthia
       McAllen, TX  78501


(956) 971-4300

District: McAllen Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
531st of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,369 Help


Students who attend Cathey Middle usually attend:

High:    Memorial High School

Feeder schools for Cathey Middle:

Elementary:    Gonzalez Elementary
    Jackson Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.6 Help
Number of students:  829

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
92.2%
White:
4.9%
Asian:
1.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  71.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cathey Middle ranks better than 77.5% of middle schools in Texas. It also ranks 3rd among 6 ranked middle schools in the McAllen Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.24. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (92.2%), White (4.9%), Asian (1.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 71.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cathey Middle is 15.6. 4 middle schools in the McAllen Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cathey Middle employs 52.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cathey Middle is $9,369. 4 middle schools in the McAllen Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cathey Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Cathey Middle 531st of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Cathey Middle 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:
White students:


McAllen Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks McAllen Independent School District (Isd) 323rd of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Cathey Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 68.62 416th 1573 73.6%
2005 75.46 283rd 1582 82.1%
2006 68.13 451st 1585 71.5%
2007 70.25 412th 1684 75.5%
2008 70.50 401st 1718 76.7%
2009 74.12 308th 1763 82.5%
2010 71.61 348th 1803 80.7%
2011 70.19 419th 1895 77.9%
2012 70.01 496th 1951 74.6%
2013 71.04 466th 1973 76.4%
2014 72.11 464th 1987 76.6%
2015 70.78 518th 2043 74.6%
2016 79.23 303rd 1987 84.8%
2017 80.13 269th 2027 86.7%
2018 85.01 207th 2080 90.0%
2019 85.47 229th 2193 89.6%
2021 65.56 601st 2252 73.3%
2022 78.37 353rd 2254 84.3%
2023 73.13 456th 2330 80.4%
2024 70.24 531st 2361 77.5%
See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.84 71st 1376 94.8%
2019 80.96 130th 1445 91.0%
2021 63.43 328th 1592 79.4%
2022 87.60 83rd 1643 94.9%
2023 76.66 225th 1720 86.9%
2024 68.99 345th 1760 80.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.46 270th 1597 83.1%
2019 56.08 456th 1626 72.0%
2021 65.27 298th 1712 82.6%
2022 68.98 248th 1757 85.9%
2023 65.94 321st 1815 82.3%
2024 68.17 334th 1881 82.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.02 122nd 2039 94.0%
2019 84.98 125th 2073 94.0%
2021 63.33 571st 2172 73.7%
2022 79.26 230th 2220 89.6%
2023 71.01 407th 2251 81.9%
2024 74.63 300th 2224 86.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.00 68th 125 45.6%
2019 49.32 51st 108 52.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.39 184th 2008 90.8%
2019 86.47 186th 2047 90.9%
2021 67.38 541st 2151 74.8%
2022 75.72 390th 2221 82.4%
2023 72.70 436th 2241 80.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.84 274th 1430 80.8%
2019 75.35 232nd 1446 84.0%
2021 68.23 507th 1501 66.2%
2022 74.91 277th 1488 81.4%
2023 69.42 436th 1481 70.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.97 119th 2008 94.1%
2019 81.38 159th 2058 92.3%
2021 55.24 708th 2118 66.6%
2022 84.43 150th 2182 93.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.70 250th 2030 87.7%
2019 80.92 283rd 2069 86.3%
2021 64.54 593rd 2168 72.6%
2022 77.76 329th 2228 85.2%
2023 71.33 470th 2245 79.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.31 58th 587 90.1%
2019 70.36 152nd 594 74.4%
2021 84.13 50th 589 91.5%
2022 75.91 109th 606 82.0%
2023 57.28 294th 616 52.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.14 109th 1895 94.2%
2019 89.75 113th 1935 94.2%
2021 67.74 446th 2043 78.2%
2022 83.69 189th 2077 90.9%
2023 79.26 259th 2116 87.8%
2024 77.04 275th 2108 87.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cathey Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.04 221st 1673 86.8%
2019 83.45 191st 1684 88.7%
2021 76.75 272nd 1700 84.0%
2022 72.64 355th 1723 79.4%
2023 68.41 459th 1749 73.8%
2024 75.88 278th 1724 83.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle 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.

Cathey Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Thursday, February 13, 2020

Open Quote It is this best school in the school district if we got 2nd place. I love this school more than Morris. The Morris students always sayg kiss about them being 1st place which is not true. But they can wish that. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Cathey Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 168 13 29 648 1 n/a n/a 0 859
2002 161 5 45 662 0 n/a n/a 0 873
2003 161 5 45 662 0 n/a n/a 0 873
2004 140 5 38 681 0 n/a n/a 0 864
2005 151 7 40 697 1 n/a n/a 0 896
2006 148 10 32 728 1 n/a n/a 0 919
2007 124 8 29 735 1 n/a n/a 0 897
2008 120 9 32 745 2 n/a n/a 0 908
2009 113 6 34 804 1 n/a n/a 0 958
2010 121 7 25 813 4 n/a n/a 0 970
2011 86 6 28 890 2 0 9 0 1021
2012 87 6 28 918 3 0 9 0 1051
2013 77 4 19 889 2 0 5 0 996
2014 96 6 22 902 3 0 4 0 1033
2015 81 6 31 914 4 0 7 0 1043
2016 73 8 34 910 3 0 4 0 1032
2017 67 4 33 899 3 0 5 0 1011
2018 63 3 22 910 2 0 3 0 1003
2019 61 4 23 878 1 0 3 0 970
2020 69 8 24 907 1 0 4 0 1013
2021 45 8 28 881 1 0 3 0 966
2022 44 12 21 767 1 1 3 0 849
2023 35 6 12 763 1 2 2 0 821
2024 41 7 11 764 1 2 3 0 829

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 Cathey Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 859 55.1 15.6 43.8
2002 873 60.0 14.6 35.7
2003 873 60.0 14.6 35.7
2004 864 54.2 15.9 33.4
2005 896 52.4 17.1 29.1
2006 919 57.5 16.0 24.8
2007 897 62.7 14.3 19.3
2008 908 58.9 15.4 16.9
2009 958 62.7 15.3 0.5
2010 970 58.9 16.4 0
2011 1021 61.5 16.5 0
2012 1051 64.2 16.3 0
2013 996 63.5 15.6 41.4
2014 1033 70.8 14.5 53.4
2015 1043 70.0 14.9 56.3
2016 1032 71.0 14.5 54.7
2017 1011 72.3 13.9 51.6
2018 1003 73.1 13.7 54.4
2019 970 66.3 14.6 54.7
2020 1013 66.0 15.3 53.2
2021 966 64.7 14.9 58.9
2022 849 59.3 14.3 62.9
2023 821 55.9 14.6 68.8
2024 829 52.9 15.6 71.9

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 Cathey Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 859 55.1 15.6 43.8
2002 873 60.0 14.6 35.7
2003 873 60.0 14.6 35.7
2004 864 54.2 15.9 33.4
2005 896 52.4 17.1 29.1
2006 919 57.5 16.0 24.8
2007 897 62.7 14.3 19.3
2008 908 58.9 15.4 16.9
2009 958 62.7 15.3 0.5
2010 970 58.9 16.4 0
2011 1021 61.5 16.5 0
2012 1051 64.2 16.3 0
2013 996 63.5 15.6 41.4
2014 1033 70.8 14.5 53.4
2015 1043 70.0 14.9 56.3
2016 1032 71.0 14.5 54.7
2017 1011 72.3 13.9 51.6
2018 1003 73.1 13.7 54.4
2019 970 66.3 14.6 54.7
2020 1013 66.0 15.3 53.2
2021 966 64.7 14.9 58.9
2022 849 59.3 14.3 62.9
2023 821 55.9 14.6 68.8
2024 829 52.9 15.6 71.9

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 Cathey Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $562 (6.2%) $8,479 (93.8%) $9,041
2020 $953 (10.1%) $8,487 (89.9%) $9,440
2021 $715 (7.6%) $8,654 (92.4%) $9,369

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cathey Middle

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 229th of 2193 Middle schoolsRanks 456th of 2330 Middle schools
 9.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Cathey Middle)4955
 6%
   6th Grade Reading (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))3957
 18%
   6th Grade Reading (Texas)3550
 15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cathey Middle)4836
 12%
   6th Grade Mathematics (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))3733
 4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4537
 8%
7th Grade Reading (Cathey Middle)6266
 4%
   7th Grade Reading (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))5160
 9%
   7th Grade Reading (Texas)4752
 5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Cathey Middle)6547
 18%
   7th Grade Mathematics (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))5641
 15%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4135
 6%
8th Grade Reading (Cathey Middle)7570
 5%
   8th Grade Reading (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))5663
 7%
   8th Grade Reading (Texas)5356
 3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Cathey Middle)8261
 21%
   8th Grade Mathematics (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))6254
 8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5544
 11%
8th Grade Science (Cathey Middle)7257
 15%
   8th Grade Science (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))5443
 11%
   8th Grade Science (Texas)4945
 4%
8th Grade Social Studies (Cathey Middle)6146
 15%
   8th Grade Social Studies (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))4036
 4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Texas)3531
 4%
End of Course Algebra I (Cathey Middle)10096
 4%
   End of Course Algebra I (McAllen Independent School District (Isd))6852
 16%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students970821
 15.4%
African American46
 50%
American Indian11
Asian2312
 47.8%
Hispanic878763
 13.1%
Pacific Islander02
White6135
 42.6%
Two or More Races32
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.7%68.8%
 14.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Cathey Middle

Cathey Middle ranks 531st of 2361 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Cathey Middle usually go on to attend Memorial High School

Students at Cathey Middle are 92% Hispanic, 5% White, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 829 students attended Cathey Middle.


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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.





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