Is Zapata South Elementary a good school?

Zapata South Elementary ranks 2664 th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Zapata South Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 442 students attended Zapata South Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Zapata South Elementary?

Students at Zapata South Elementary are 100% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Zapata South Elementary attend?

Students who attend Zapata South Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Zapata Middle High : Zapata High School

Zapata South Elementary

Summary:

Zapata South Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Zapata, Texas, with a student population of 467 that is predominantly Hispanic (99.79%). The school is part of the Zapata County Independent School District, which is ranked 600 out of 968 school districts in Texas and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Zapata South Elementary's performance on STAAR tests is generally below the state and district averages, with proficiency rates in reading, math, and science lower than the Zapata County Independent School District and the state of Texas. The school's statewide ranking among Texas elementary schools has consistently been in the bottom half, and its performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic students performing relatively better than English Language Learners and Special Education students. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students from low-income families, with 85.65% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Benavides Elementary and Zapata North Elementary, Zapata South Elementary has generally lower academic performance, and its performance has shown a declining trend over the past few years. The school also struggles to support the academic needs of certain student subgroups, such as English Language Learners and Special Education students, who consistently perform below the school's overall performance and the state averages.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

500 Delmar St
Zapata, TX 78076

(956) 765-4332

District: Zapata County Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
2664^th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,006

Students who attend Zapata South Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Zapata Middle
High:	Zapata High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 442

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

100.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.1%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Zapata South Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Zapata South Elementary ranks worse than 57% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Zapata County Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.6. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (100%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Zapata County Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Zapata South Elementary is 12.9, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Zapata County Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)

Compare Zapata South Elementary employs 34 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Zapata South Elementary is $10,006. 2 elementary schools in the Zapata County Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Zapata South Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Zapata South Elementary 2664^th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Zapata South Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

Zapata County Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Zapata County Independent School District (Isd) 600^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Zapata South Elementary?

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Rank History for Zapata South Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2004	33.75	2735^th	3465	21.1%
2005	27.31	2931^st	3475	15.7%
2006	15.11	3282^nd	3476	5.6%
2007	23.32	3300^th	3724	11.4%
2008	25.32	3271^st	3768	13.2%
2009	16.05	3640^th	3884	6.3%
2010	18.56	3642^nd	3937	7.5%
2011	56.41	2038^th	4095	50.2%
2012	45.11	2581^st	4206	38.6%
2013	49.76	2312^th	4221	45.2%
2014	40.08	2902^nd	4260	31.9%
2015	30.91	3297^th	4320	23.7%
2016	42.86	2663^rd	4286	37.9%
2017	29.97	3155^th	4329	27.1%
2018	41.04	2480^th	4359	43.1%
2019	34.34	3074^th	4479	31.4%
2021	35.11	2832^nd	4578	38.1%
2022	38.67	2815^th	4581	38.6%
2023	40.66	2754^th	4647	40.7%
2024	42.60	2664^th	4675	43.0%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	58.92	1069^th	3226	66.9%
2019	22.37	2999^th	3333	10.0%
2021	37.50	2223^rd	3446	35.5%
2022	24.58	3001^st	3487	13.9%
2023	34.73	2537^th	3556	28.7%
2024	45.53	1869^th	3638	48.6%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	27.59	2877^th	3558	19.1%
2019	21.01	3388^th	3684	8.0%
2021	19.25	3694^th	3799	2.8%
2022	35.23	2641^st	3952	33.2%
2023	41.85	2156^th	4086	47.2%
2024	44.84	2221^st	4261	47.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	51.07	1960^th	4264	54.0%
2019	30.39	3434^th	4309	20.3%
2021	35.80	3007^th	4451	32.4%
2022	44.53	2519^th	4477	43.7%
2023	45.50	2520^th	4521	44.3%
2024	51.64	2078^th	4560	54.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	44.89	2304^th	4306	46.5%
2019	42.23	2526^th	4348	41.9%
2021	35.78	2817^th	4499	37.4%
2022	41.54	2684^th	4561	41.2%
2023	40.00	2785^th	4588	39.3%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	70.84	813^th	3106	73.8%
2019	61.77	1395^th	3184	56.2%
2021	41.58	2032^nd	3006	32.4%
2022	48.64	1914^th	2958	35.3%
2023	51.18	1872^nd	2980	37.2%

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

Rank History for At Risk students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	48.92	2007^th	4240	52.7%
2019	29.56	3433^rd	4295	20.1%
2021	49.25	1892^nd	4331	56.3%
2022	25.12	3783^rd	4461	15.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	37.73	2718^th	4319	37.1%
2019	29.72	3324^th	4357	23.7%
2021	35.97	2802^nd	4498	37.7%
2022	34.94	3073^rd	4563	32.7%
2023	40.52	2725^th	4585	40.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	47.89	2071^st	4168	50.3%
2019	39.88	2631^st	4188	37.2%
2021	42.95	2383^rd	4329	45.0%
2022	43.90	2518^th	4376	42.5%
2023	46.96	2272^nd	4401	48.4%
2024	51.94	1978^th	4431	55.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Zapata South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	39.92	1983^rd	3127	36.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary 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.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Zapata South Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	19	0	2	579	n/a	n/a	600
2003	19	0	2	579	n/a	n/a	600
2004	13	0	1	579	n/a	n/a	593
2005	10	1	2	618	n/a	n/a	631
2006	12	1	2	614	n/a	n/a	629
2007	12	0	3	622	n/a	n/a	637
2008	15	0	3	636	n/a	n/a	654
2009	11	0	0	627	n/a	n/a	638
2010	14	0	0	609	n/a	n/a	623
2011	5	0	0	688	0	0	693
2012	2	0	0	643	0	0	645
2013	8	0	0	680	0	0	688
2014	9	0	0	612	0	0	621
2015	11	0	0	601	0	0	612
2016	9	0	0	615	0	0	624
2017	8	0	0	594	0	0	602
2018	7	0	0	588	0	0	595
2019	2	0	0	588	0	0	590
2020	1	0	0	580	0	0	581
2021	1	0	0	538	0	0	539
2022	2	0	0	465	0	0	467
2023	1	0	0	466	0	0	467
2024	0	0	0	442	0	0	442

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 Zapata South Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	600	41.0	14.6	44.2
2003	600	41.0	14.6	44.2
2004	593	42.0	14.1	24.8
2005	631	39.8	15.9	11.1
2006	629	38.0	16.6	2.2
2007	637	34.9	18.3	0.8
2008	654	38.0	17.2	0.5
2009	638	41.0	15.6	73.8
2010	623	40.3	15.4	69.2
2011	693	39.3	17.6	77.3
2012	645	36.9	17.4	72.4
2013	688	36.7	18.7	79.4
2014	621	32.7	18.9	80.2
2015	612	33.0	18.5	77.8
2016	624	33.0	18.9	81.9
2017	602	33.4	17.9	73.9
2018	595	34.0	17.5	78.8
2019	590	34.4	17.1	79
2020	581	33.4	17.3	78.3
2021	539	34.0	15.8	81.3
2022	467	34.0	13.7	86.7
2023	467	34.0	13.7	85.7
2024	442	34.0	12.9	87.1

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 Zapata South Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	600	41.0	14.6	44.2
2003	600	41.0	14.6	44.2
2004	593	42.0	14.1	24.8
2005	631	39.8	15.9	11.1
2006	629	38.0	16.6	2.2
2007	637	34.9	18.3	0.8
2008	654	38.0	17.2	0.5
2009	638	41.0	15.6	73.8
2010	623	40.3	15.4	69.2
2011	693	39.3	17.6	77.3
2012	645	36.9	17.4	72.4
2013	688	36.7	18.7	79.4
2014	621	32.7	18.9	80.2
2015	612	33.0	18.5	77.8
2016	624	33.0	18.9	81.9
2017	602	33.4	17.9	73.9
2018	595	34.0	17.5	78.8
2019	590	34.4	17.1	79
2020	581	33.4	17.3	78.3
2021	539	34.0	15.8	81.3
2022	467	34.0	13.7	86.7
2023	467	34.0	13.7	85.7
2024	442	34.0	12.9	87.1

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 Zapata South Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$799 (8.1%)	$9,030 (91.9%)	$9,829
2020	$806 (8.3%)	$8,895 (91.7%)	$9,700
2021	$1,230 (12.3%)	$8,775 (87.7%)	$10,006

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Zapata South 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 3074^th of 4479 Elementary schools	Ranks 2754^th of 4647 Elementary schools	9.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Zapata South Elementary)	43	37	6%
3rd Grade Reading (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	41	41
3rd Grade Reading (Texas)	44	50	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Zapata South Elementary)	55	24	31%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	55	45	10%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)	48	43	5%
4th Grade Reading (Zapata South Elementary)	34	48	14%
4th Grade Reading (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	37	36	1%
4th Grade Reading (Texas)	43	47	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Zapata South Elementary)	33	59	26%
4th Grade Mathematics (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	36	54	18%
4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	46	47	1%
5th Grade Reading (Zapata South Elementary)	33	51	18%
5th Grade Reading (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	36	39	3%
5th Grade Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Zapata South Elementary)	46	45	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	55	49	6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	56	50	6%
5th Grade Science (Zapata South Elementary)	32	20	12%
5th Grade Science (Zapata County Independent School District (Isd))	48	24	24%
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	590	467	20.8%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	588	466	20.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	1	50%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	79%	85.7%	6.7%

Schools Near Zapata South Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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 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
Zapata South Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Delmar St	Zapata	78076	Zapata County	Zapata County Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 765-4332	442	34	12.9	87.1%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	442 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42.6	2664^th of 4675 public elementary schools	43.0%		40.7	2754^th of 4647 public elementary schools	40.7%	90	45.8	40.2	51.5	31.9	35.4	50.0	21.2	$10,006	$1,230	$8,775
Zapata North Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	502 E 17th Ave	Zapata	78076	Zapata County	Zapata County Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 765-6921	575	35	16.6	91.3%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	575 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61.4	1514^th of 4675 public elementary schools	67.6%		51.3	2107^th of 4647 public elementary schools	54.7%	593	47.1	51.4	43.8	47.1	63.9	68.8	23.8	$9,515	$1,130	$8,385
Fidel And Andrea R Villarreal Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	805 Mira Flores St	Zapata	78076	Zapata County	Zapata County Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 765-4321	463	31	14.9	92.7%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	463 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56.7	1755^th of 4675 public elementary schools	62.5%		36.2	3026^th of 4647 public elementary schools	34.9%	1271	47.3	33.3	46.4	56.4	62.0	53.6	27.5	$10,355	$1,275	$9,080
Benavides Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	307 Lincoln St	San Ygnacio	78067	Zapata County	Zapata County Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(956) 765-5611	61	6	10.5	91.8%	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.8	1924^th of 4675 public elementary schools	58.8%		43.5	2571^st of 4647 public elementary schools	44.7%	647	28.6	14.3	66.7	14.3	57.1	77.8	33.3	$11,631	$1,719	$9,913

Zapata South Elementary

Zapata South Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Zapata County Independent School District (Isd):

What do you think?

Rank History for Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for all students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for At Risk students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at Zapata South Elementary

Rank History for White students at Zapata South Elementary

Enrollment information for Zapata South Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Zapata South Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Zapata South Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Zapata South Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Zapata South Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Zapata South Elementary