Santa Maria Middle

Summary:

Santa Maria Middle is a small public middle school in Santa Maria, TX that serves grades 6-8 and is part of the Santa Maria Independent School District (ISD), which is ranked 761 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Santa Maria Middle faces significant challenges in supporting the academic achievement of its predominantly Hispanic (99.22%) and economically disadvantaged (100% qualify for free/reduced-price lunch) student population. The school consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Texas middle schools, with low proficiency rates on STAAR assessments that are well below the state average. For example, in 2023-2024, only 41.46% of 6th graders were proficient in reading, compared to the state average of 54.45%. The school also struggles to support the academic achievement of its various student subgroups, ranking in the bottom quartile for Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students with low socioeconomic status.

Comparing Santa Maria Middle to nearby higher-performing middle schools, such as San Benito Riverside Middle, Moises Vela Middle, and Central Middle, provides valuable insights. These schools generally outperform Santa Maria Middle on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and better overall rankings, and they also demonstrate stronger performance for their Hispanic, English Language Learner, and economically disadvantaged student subgroups. The higher spending per student at Santa Maria Middle compared to nearby schools may suggest the need for additional resources and support, but the school's academic outcomes indicate that this additional spending has not yet translated into improved student performance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

11142 Military Rd
Santa Maria, TX 78592

(956) 565-5348

District: Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1882^nd of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,250

Students who attend Santa Maria Middle usually attend:

High:

Santa Maria High School

Feeder schools for Santa Maria Middle:

Elementary:

Tony Gonzalez Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 8.9

Number of students: 121

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

99.2%

African American:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Santa Maria Middle ranks worse than 79.7% of middle schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25. (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 (99.2%), African American (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Santa Maria Middle is 8.9. (See more...)

Compare Santa Maria Middle employs 13.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Santa Maria Middle is $16,250.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Santa Maria Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Maria Middle 1882^nd of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Santa Maria 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:

Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd) 761^st of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Santa Maria Middle

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Rank History for all students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	13.69	2067^th	2252	8.2%
2022	10.73	2151^st	2254	4.6%
2023	15.73	2094^th	2330	10.1%
2024	25.00	1882^nd	2361	20.3%

See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	31.43	1195^th	1592	24.9%
2022	16.68	1578^th	1643	4.0%
2023	22.51	1497^th	1720	13.0%
2024	31.40	1292^nd	1760	26.6%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2022	24.04	1583^rd	1757	9.9%
2023	53.84	571^st	1815	68.5%
2024	40.60	1118^th	1881	40.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	18.41	1977^th	2172	9.0%
2022	15.13	2089^th	2220	5.9%
2023	22.05	1944^th	2251	13.6%
2024	31.85	1632^nd	2224	26.6%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	23.96	66^th	70	5.7%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	15.06	1969^th	2151	8.5%
2022	18.95	1956^th	2221	11.9%
2023	13.48	2082^nd	2241	7.1%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	5.07	1464^th	1501	2.5%
2022	1.10	1484^th	1488	0.3%
2023	14.07	1375^th	1481	7.2%

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

Rank History for At Risk students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	22.71	1899^th	2118	10.3%
2022	19.73	2012^th	2182	7.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	14.96	1993^rd	2168	8.1%
2022	8.20	2161^st	2228	3.0%
2023	18.93	1957^th	2245	12.8%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Santa Maria Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	17.40	1868^th	2043	8.6%
2022	13.05	1991^st	2077	4.1%
2023	19.62	1881^st	2116	11.1%
2024	27.82	1660^th	2108	21.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle 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 Santa Maria Middle

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2017	2	0	93	1	96
2018	0	0	69	0	69
2019	0	0	75	0	75
2020	0	0	116	0	116
2021	2	0	135	0	137
2022	0	0	122	0	122
2023	1	0	128	0	129
2024	0	1	120	0	121

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 Santa Maria Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	96	7.6	12.5	96.9
2018	69	5.7	12.0	100
2019	75	5.6	13.3	97.3
2020	116	9.7	11.8	100
2021	137	12.7	10.7	97.8
2022	122	15.0	8.1	99.2
2023	129	11.8	10.8	100
2024	121	13.5	8.9	99.2

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 Santa Maria Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	96	7.6	12.5	96.9
2018	69	5.7	12.0	100
2019	75	5.6	13.3	97.3
2020	116	9.7	11.8	100
2021	137	12.7	10.7	97.8
2022	122	15.0	8.1	99.2
2023	129	11.8	10.8	100
2024	121	13.5	8.9	99.2

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 Santa Maria Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,204 (17.9%)	$10,136 (82.1%)	$12,340
2020	$2,327 (15.1%)	$13,134 (84.9%)	$15,461
2021	$2,226 (13.7%)	$14,024 (86.3%)	$16,250

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Santa Maria 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Santa Maria Middle)	20	22	2%
6th Grade Reading (Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd))	20	22	2%
6th Grade Reading (Texas)	35	50	15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Santa Maria Middle)	14	7	7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd))	14	7	7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	45	37	8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	75	129	72%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	75	128	70.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	1
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	97.3%	100%	2.7%

Schools Near Santa Maria Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR Spanish Science (2024)	STAAR EOC Algebra I (2024)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (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 (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 Science 5th Grade	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th 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
Santa Maria Middle	Public	6-8	11142 Military Rd	Santa Maria	78592	Cameron County	Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-5348	121	14	8.9	99.2%	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	120 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25	1882^nd of 2361 public middle schools	20.3%		15.7	2094^th of 2330 public middle schools	10.1%	212					41.5	35.6	28.1		26.8	26.7	31.3		18.8	3.2	$16,250	$2,226	$14,024
Noemi Dominguez Elementary	Public	5-6	600 Pancho Maples Dr	La Feria	78559	Cameron County	La Feria Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 797-8430	394	27	14.5	89.1%	9 (2.3%)	2 (0.5%)	380 (96.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)								(n/a)	0.0			40.3	37.9			36.3	36.6			16.8			$9,839	$686	$9,153
Sgt Manuel Chacon Middle	Public	6-8	801 S Mile 1 E	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 514-2200	587	41	14.3	88.1%	16 (2.7%)	2 (0.3%)	569 (96.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22.1	1969^th of 2361 public middle schools	16.6%		24.9	1840^th of 2330 public middle schools	21.0%	129		92.0	100.0		33.3	24.0	21.4		10.1	17.2	25.1		33.8	21.6	$11,317	$2,705	$8,612
W B Green J H	Public	7-8	501 N Canal St	La Feria	78559	Cameron County	La Feria Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 797-8400	417	36	11.5	80.6%	13 (3.1%)	2 (0.5%)	401 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36.3	1518^th of 2361 public middle schools	35.7%		34.1	1595^th of 2330 public middle schools	31.5%	77		52.9				45.5	46.2			32.8	15.6		27.0	23.7	$12,821	$871	$11,949
Dorothy Thompson Middle	Public	6-8	108 Business Fm 1015	Progreso	78579	Hidalgo County	Progreso Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 565-6539	291	31	9.5	100.0%	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	289 (99.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35.8	1539^th of 2361 public middle schools	34.8%		22.4	1905^th of 2330 public middle schools	18.2%	366		80.0			44.3	50.5	39.0		39.6	35.9	9.3		28.7	12.6	$11,866	$2,156	$9,710
Sgt William G Harrell Middle	Public	6-8	2825 N Fm 491	Mercedes	78570	Hidalgo County	Mercedes Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 514-2300	388	39	9.9	98.5%	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	377 (97.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13.2	2191^st of 2361 public middle schools	7.2%		14.7	2120^th of 2330 public middle schools	9.0%	71		65.5	87.0		29.6	23.2	14.6		10.2	17.5	3.8		24.6	8.2	$11,807	$2,716	$9,090
Moises Vela Middle	Public	6-8	801 S Palm Blvd	Harlingen	78552	Cameron County	Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 427-3479	744	56	13.4	64.8%	42 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	699 (94.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62.4	725^th of 2361 public middle schools	69.3%		53.3	981^st of 2330 public middle schools	57.9%	256		77.4			69.2	59.5	63.9		40.1	25.4	35.2		42.2	42.2	$10,063	$1,394	$8,669
Armando Cuellar Middle	Public	6-8	1201 S Bridge St	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 969-6720	595	43	13.8	87.6%	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	589 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29.8	1743^rd of 2361 public middle schools	26.2%		29.2	1740^th of 2330 public middle schools	25.3%	3		95.0	96.2		40.7	38.5	22.0		20.3	15.7	51.2		27.7	18.0	$11,657	$1,400	$10,257
Mary Hoge Middle	Public	6-8	2302 N International Blvd	Weslaco	78599	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 969-6730	925	59	15.6	93.8%	6 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	916 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	35.5	1552^nd of 2361 public middle schools	34.3%		28.9	1751^st of 2330 public middle schools	24.8%	199		92.3	100.0		41.4	36.0	44.2		29.6	17.8	42.7		30.0	27.2	$10,960	$1,396	$9,564
Central Middle	Public	6-8	506 E 6th St	Weslaco	78596	Hidalgo County	Weslaco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 969-6710	1,085	66	16.3	69.6%	27 (2.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1,052 (97.0%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	64.3	669^th of 2361 public middle schools	71.7%		56.8	881^st of 2330 public middle schools	62.2%	212		100.0	100.0		63.7	58.5	45.1		44.0	37.5	68.6		42.8	32.7	$10,499	$1,269	$9,230

Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Maria Middle

What district is Santa Maria Middle in?

Santa Maria Independent School District (Isd)

Is Santa Maria Middle a good school?

Santa Maria Middle ranks in the bottom 20.3% of Texas middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Santa Maria Middle attend?

Students who attend Santa Maria Middle usually go on to attend Santa Maria High School

How many students attend Santa Maria Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 121 students attended Santa Maria Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Santa Maria Middle?

Students at Santa Maria Middle are 99% Hispanic.

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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.