Mercedes Early College Academy

Summary:

Mercedes Early College Academy is a public high school serving grades 9-12 with 354 students in Mercedes, Texas, a predominantly Hispanic community. This school stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently high graduation rates, and strong college readiness focus.

Mercedes Early College Academy has maintained a remarkable 100% four-year graduation rate for the past five years, far exceeding the state average and outperforming nearby schools like Mercedes High School and Mercedes Academic Academy. The school also boasts low dropout rates, ranging from 0% to 0.3% over the past five years, outpacing the Mercedes Independent School District and the state of Texas. On STAAR End-of-Course assessments, Mercedes Early College Academy excels, particularly in English II Reading, U.S. History, and Biology, where it outperforms both the district and state averages.

Despite serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 81.92% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Mercedes Early College Academy has consistently ranked as one of the top high schools in Texas, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger in the past. While its ranking has fluctuated in recent years, dropping to 779 out of 1,987 schools in 2023-2024, the school maintains a strong 3-star rating, demonstrating its ability to provide a high-quality education to its predominantly Hispanic student population.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 950 W 6th St
       Mercedes, TX  78570


(956) 514-5180

District: Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
779th of 1,987 Texas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,069 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  17.3 Help
Number of students:  354

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
97.5%
White:
1.7%
African American:
0.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  81.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Mercedes Early College Academy ranks better than 60.8% of high schools in Texas. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.42. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Mercedes Early College Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (97.5%), White (1.7%), American Indian (0.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 81.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Mercedes Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mercedes Early College Academy is 17.3, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)! (See more...)
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Compare Mercedes Early College Academy employs 20.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mercedes Early College Academy is $8,069, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)!
Schooldigger Rankings:

Mercedes Early College Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Mercedes Early College Academy 779th of 1987 Texas public high schools. (See Mercedes Early College Academy in the ranking list.)

Mercedes Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Mercedes Independent School District (Isd) 860th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Mercedes Early College Academy

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Rank History for all students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 58.06 861st 1672 48.5%
2012 56.56 648th 1603 59.6%
2013 68.33 400th 1652 75.8%
2014 76.06 228th 1734 86.9%
2015 80.44 102nd 1743 94.1%
2016 77.11 171st 1762 90.3%
2017 80.32 178th 1777 90.0%
2018 82.87 146th 1797 91.9%
2019 79.08 210th 1857 88.7%
2021 45.16 1000th 1861 46.3%
2022 51.75 829th 1876 55.8%
2023 66.37 523rd 1961 73.3%
2024 56.42 779th 1987 60.8%
See the entire list of Texas High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.40 225th 1136 80.2%
2021 28.66 893rd 1195 25.3%
2022 50.42 417th 1278 67.4%
2023 73.35 198th 1371 85.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 50.04 546th 1418 61.5%
2023 52.78 523rd 1478 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.72 105th 1794 94.1%
2019 83.43 129th 1818 92.9%
2021 51.63 766th 1848 58.5%
2022 58.65 512th 1847 72.3%
2023 71.15 305th 1897 83.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.63 289th 1781 83.8%
2019 69.68 403rd 1798 77.6%
2021 38.66 1129th 1815 37.8%
2022 43.23 1028th 1841 44.2%
2023 64.11 559th 1891 70.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.58 930th 1137 18.2%
2019 26.14 1017th 1145 11.2%
2021 5.35 1138th 1177 3.3%
2022 32.31 969th 1172 17.3%
2023 24.11 1031st 1182 12.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.26 88th 1784 95.1%
2019 83.78 120th 1810 93.4%
2021 59.10 518th 1829 71.7%
2022 66.31 339th 1837 81.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.04 99th 1803 94.5%
2019 83.97 147th 1824 91.9%
2021 49.70 836th 1840 54.6%
2022 56.55 663rd 1853 64.2%
2023 64.16 544th 1913 71.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.09 129th 1691 92.4%
2019 82.23 159th 1714 90.7%
2021 50.61 759th 1743 56.5%
2022 55.44 615th 1762 65.1%
2023 71.25 323rd 1820 82.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas High 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.

Mercedes Early College Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Mercedes Early College Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 2 1 0 154 0 n/a n/a 0 157
2011 4 0 1 240 0 0 2 0 247
2012 3 0 1 278 0 0 0 0 282
2013 3 0 1 280 0 0 0 0 284
2014 3 0 1 308 0 0 0 0 312
2015 1 1 0 323 0 0 0 0 325
2016 2 1 0 323 1 0 1 0 328
2017 1 2 0 358 1 0 2 0 364
2018 1 1 0 396 1 0 1 0 400
2019 1 1 1 425 2 0 0 0 430
2020 3 3 0 422 1 0 0 0 429
2021 4 2 1 408 1 0 0 0 416
2022 4 2 1 375 1 0 1 0 384
2023 6 1 1 345 1 0 0 0 354

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 Mercedes Early College Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 157 10.1 15.5 0
2011 247 16.8 14.6 0
2012 282 17.6 16.0 0
2013 284 18.8 15.0 85.6
2014 312 18.7 16.6 86.5
2015 325 20.0 16.2 41.8
2016 328 19.0 17.2 60.4
2017 364 19.8 18.3 73.4
2018 400 19.2 20.7 78
2019 430 21.0 20.4 77
2020 429 20.0 21.3 76
2021 416 20.8 19.9 81.3
2022 384 20.6 18.6 84.9
2023 354 20.3 17.3 81.9

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 Mercedes Early College Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 157 10.1 15.5 0
2011 247 16.8 14.6 0
2012 282 17.6 16.0 0
2013 284 18.8 15.0 85.6
2014 312 18.7 16.6 86.5
2015 325 20.0 16.2 41.8
2016 328 19.0 17.2 60.4
2017 364 19.8 18.3 73.4
2018 400 19.2 20.7 78
2019 430 21.0 20.4 77
2020 429 20.0 21.3 76
2021 416 20.8 19.9 81.3
2022 384 20.6 18.6 84.9
2023 354 20.3 17.3 81.9

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 Mercedes Early College Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,055 (10.9%) $8,661 (89.1%) $9,716
2020 $1,129 (14.3%) $6,743 (85.7%) $7,872
2021 $2,461 (30.5%) $5,608 (69.5%) $8,069

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mercedes Early College 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 210th of 1857 High schoolsRanks 523rd of 1961 High schools
 15.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Mercedes Early College Academy)8735
 52%
   End of Course Algebra I (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))4423
 21%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%
End of Course Biology (Mercedes Early College Academy)7465
 9%
   End of Course Biology (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))4635
 11%
   End of Course Biology (Texas)6357
 6%
End of Course English I Reading (Mercedes Early College Academy)6973
 4%
   End of Course English I Reading (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))3636
   End of Course English I Reading (Texas)4954
 5%
End of Course English II Reading (Mercedes Early College Academy)8580
 5%
   End of Course English II Reading (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))4534
 11%
   End of Course English II Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
End of Course U.S. History (Mercedes Early College Academy)7977
 2%
   End of Course U.S. History (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))6453
 11%
   End of Course U.S. History (Texas)7571
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students430354
 17.7%
African American11
American Indian21
 50%
Asian11
Hispanic425345
 18.8%
Pacific Islander00
White16
 500%
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77%81.9%
 4.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Mercedes Early College Academy

Students at Mercedes Early College Academy are 97% Hispanic, 2% White.

Mercedes Early College Academy ranks 779th of 1987 Texas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 354 students attended Mercedes Early College Academy.


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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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