Is Mercedes Early College Academy a good school?

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

How many students attend Mercedes Early College Academy?

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

What is the racial makeup of Mercedes Early College Academy?

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

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:
779^th of 1,987 Texas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,069

Student/teacher ratio: 17.3

Number of students: 354

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

97.5%

White:

1.7%

African American:

0.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.9%

See top rated Texas high schools

Compare Mercedes Early College Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

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...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.42. (See more...)

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.

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 (97.5%), White (1.7%), American Indian (0.3%). (See more...)

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

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...)

Compare Mercedes Early College Academy employs 20.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

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 779^th 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) 860^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Mercedes Early College Academy?

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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
2011	58.06	861^st	1672	48.5%
2012	56.56	648^th	1603	59.6%
2013	68.33	400^th	1652	75.8%
2014	76.06	228^th	1734	86.9%
2015	80.44	102^nd	1743	94.1%
2016	77.11	171^st	1762	90.3%
2017	80.32	178^th	1777	90.0%
2018	82.87	146^th	1797	91.9%
2019	79.08	210^th	1857	88.7%
2021	45.16	1000^th	1861	46.3%
2022	51.75	829^th	1876	55.8%
2023	66.37	523^rd	1961	73.3%
2024	56.42	779^th	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
2019	65.40	225^th	1136	80.2%
2021	28.66	893^rd	1195	25.3%
2022	50.42	417^th	1278	67.4%
2023	73.35	198^th	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	546^th	1418	61.5%
2023	52.78	523^rd	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
2018	87.72	105^th	1794	94.1%
2019	83.43	129^th	1818	92.9%
2021	51.63	766^th	1848	58.5%
2022	58.65	512^th	1847	72.3%
2023	71.15	305^th	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
2018	74.63	289^th	1781	83.8%
2019	69.68	403^rd	1798	77.6%
2021	38.66	1129^th	1815	37.8%
2022	43.23	1028^th	1841	44.2%
2023	64.11	559^th	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
2018	36.58	930^th	1137	18.2%
2019	26.14	1017^th	1145	11.2%
2021	5.35	1138^th	1177	3.3%
2022	32.31	969^th	1172	17.3%
2023	24.11	1031^st	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
2018	87.26	88^th	1784	95.1%
2019	83.78	120^th	1810	93.4%
2021	59.10	518^th	1829	71.7%
2022	66.31	339^th	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
2018	88.04	99^th	1803	94.5%
2019	83.97	147^th	1824	91.9%
2021	49.70	836^th	1840	54.6%
2022	56.55	663^rd	1853	64.2%
2023	64.16	544^th	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
2018	85.09	129^th	1691	92.4%
2019	82.23	159^th	1714	90.7%
2021	50.61	759^th	1743	56.5%
2022	55.44	615^th	1762	65.1%
2023	71.25	323^rd	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.

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	Total
2010	2	1	0	154	0	n/a	n/a	157
2011	4	0	1	240	0	0	2	247
2012	3	0	1	278	0	0	0	282
2013	3	0	1	280	0	0	0	284
2014	3	0	1	308	0	0	0	312
2015	1	1	0	323	0	0	0	325
2016	2	1	0	323	1	0	1	328
2017	1	2	0	358	1	0	2	364
2018	1	1	0	396	1	0	1	400
2019	1	1	1	425	2	0	0	430
2020	3	3	0	422	1	0	0	429
2021	4	2	1	408	1	0	0	416
2022	4	2	1	375	1	0	1	384
2023	6	1	1	345	1	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

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

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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 210^th of 1857 High schools	Ranks 523^rd 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)	87	35	52%
End of Course Algebra I (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))	44	23	21%
End of Course Algebra I (Texas)	62	45	17%
End of Course Biology (Mercedes Early College Academy)	74	65	9%
End of Course Biology (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))	46	35	11%
End of Course Biology (Texas)	63	57	6%
End of Course English I Reading (Mercedes Early College Academy)	69	73	4%
End of Course English I Reading (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))	36	36
End of Course English I Reading (Texas)	49	54	5%
End of Course English II Reading (Mercedes Early College Academy)	85	80	5%
End of Course English II Reading (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))	45	34	11%
End of Course English II Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
End of Course U.S. History (Mercedes Early College Academy)	79	77	2%
End of Course U.S. History (Mercedes Independent School District (Isd))	64	53	11%
End of Course U.S. History (Texas)	75	71	4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	430	354	17.7%
African American	1	1
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	425	345	18.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	6	500%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77%	81.9%	4.9%

Schools Near Mercedes Early College Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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)	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 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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mercedes Early College Academy	Public	9-12	950 W 6th St	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 514-5180	354	20	17.3	81.9%	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	345 (97.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56.4	779^th of 1987 public high schools	60.8%		66.4	523^rd of 1961 public high schools	73.3%	256	22.4	59.0	41.8	86.0	76.2	$8,069	$2,461	$5,608
Mercedes High School	Public	8-12	1200 S Florida	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 514-2100	974	71	13.6	91.1%	11 (1.1%)	5 (0.5%)	954 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	9.2	1803^rd of 1987 public high schools	9.3%		9.4	1762^nd of 1961 public high schools	10.1%	41	5.1	25.1	14.6	28.9	43.6	$13,860	$3,250	$10,610
Triumph Public High Schools-Mercedes	Public, Charter	9-12	103 E 2nd St	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Triumph Public High Schools-Rio Grande Valley	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-5417	127	9	13.4		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	127 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5.8	1869^th of 1987 public high schools	5.9%		5.1	1849^th of 1961 public high schools	5.7%	20	14.3	20.5	17.1	15.5	24.2	$9,598	$2,481	$7,117
Mercedes Academic Academy	Public	9-12	720 S Mile 1 E	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 514-5076	94	6	16.5	98.9%	2 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.2	1928^th of 1987 public high schools	3.0%		2.5	1926^th of 1961 public high schools	1.8%	2	5.3	2.6	8.2	15.7	16.1	$15,782	$3,184	$12,597
South Texas Independent School District (Isd) Health Professions	Public, Magnet	9-12	700 Med High Dr	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	South Texas Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-2237	755	55	13.7	60.7%	28 (3.7%)	7 (0.9%)	640 (84.8%)	76 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	82.9	168^th of 1987 public high schools	91.5%		86.1	108^th of 1961 public high schools	94.5%	60	40.6	76.2	87.1	89.4	78.3	$14,511	$1,555	$12,956
South Texas Independent School District (Isd) Science Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	900 Med High Dr	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	South Texas Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-4620	795	59	13.4	43.5%	60 (7.5%)	14 (1.8%)	635 (79.9%)	75 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (1.3%)	91.2	42^nd of 1987 public high schools	97.9%		88.7	72^nd of 1961 public high schools	96.3%	30	72.4	89.1	89.2	93.8	92.0	$12,985	$1,090	$11,895
South Palm Gardens High School	Public	10-12	2607 Camino Real Viejo	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(956) 565-0404	65	6	11.5	92.3%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)		16.7		50.0	70.6	$19,724	$691	$19,033
Weslaco East High School	Public	9-12	810 S Pleasantview Dr	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 969-6950	2,004	141	14.2	85.6%	14 (0.7%)	3 (0.1%)	1,985 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.0%)	1 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23.9	1549^th of 1987 public high schools	22.0%		24.8	1498^th of 1961 public high schools	23.6%	51	31.8	31.3	32.2	43.9	58.2	$11,555	$1,267	$10,288
Premier H S Of Weslaco	Public, Charter	9-12	2419 Haggar Ave	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Premier High Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 781-8800	135	6	23.8	95.6%	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	133 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18.9	1638^th of 1987 public high schools	17.6%		18.6	1616^th of 1961 public high schools	17.6%	22	27.3	20.0	11.8	34.6	56.8	$7,684	$1,222	$6,462
Progreso High School	Public	9-12	700 Business Fm 1015	Progreso	78579	Hidalgo County	Progreso Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-4142	452	32	14.0	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	452 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20.8	1607^th of 1987 public high schools	19.1%		26.4	1462^nd of 1961 public high schools	25.4%	145	15.7	29.5	38.5	48.1	41.9	$11,838	$1,917	$9,921

Mercedes Early College Academy

Mercedes Independent School District (Isd):

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Rank History for Mercedes Early College Academy

Rank History for all students at Mercedes Early College Academy

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Mercedes Early College Academy

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

Rank History for Female students at Mercedes Early College Academy

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

Rank History for At Risk students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Rank History for Male students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mercedes Early College Academy

Enrollment information for Mercedes Early College Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mercedes Early College Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Mercedes Early College Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mercedes Early College Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Mercedes Early College Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Mercedes Early College Academy