IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Reviewed by PlainSchools Editorial, K12 Schools Editorial Team · June 4, 2026

WESLACO, Texas — 123 schools

74,217

Total Enrollment

123

Schools

$11,965

Per-Pupil Spending

Other, Elementary

School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS operates 123 public schools serving 74,217 students, placing it among the larger districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 69 other, 38 elementary, 15 middle, 1 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 78,798 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Hidalgo County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,965 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 2.8% local, 76.8% state, and 20.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. The district's equity score — 35/100, ranked #793 of 1044 in Texas against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 38 of 123 schools offering Advanced Placement (386 AP courses district-wide), a 694.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% African American, 5.3% White across the district's schools.

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS school enrollment varies 7.6× across entities

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS school enrollment ranges from 111 students (lowest) to 848 students (highest), a spread of 737 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data Accessed 2026-06-04

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 77.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system Accessed 2026-06-04

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS student-counselor ratio is 695:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection Accessed 2026-06-04

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS chronic absenteeism rate is 27.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS is typically wider than the IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 Accessed 2026-06-04

Where does the funding come from?

20.4%

Federal

76.8%

State

2.8%

Local

Funding Equity

Equity Score

793 / 1044

State Rank

State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

View all Texas equity rankings →

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Hidalgo County county, where this district is located.

$842

Studio/mo

$847

1 BR/mo

$1,060

2 BR/mo

$1,376

3 BR/mo

$1,522

4 BR/mo

View HUD Fair Market Rents → Verify with HUD →

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 123 schools in IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

White 5.3%

Hispanic or Latino 85.2%

African American 7.5%

Asian 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

38 / 123

Schools with AP

386 AP courses total

694.7:1

Student-Counselor Ratio

27.4%

Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

School	Level	Enrollment	Student:Teacher
Idea College Preparatory Pharr Charter	other	848	16.1:1
Idea Montopolis College Preparatory Charter	other	835	17.7:1
Idea College Prep Charter	other	823	13.7:1
Idea Mcallen College Preparatory Charter	other	820	16.8:1
Idea Riverview College Preparatory Charter	other	813	15.1:1
Idea College Preparatory Mission Charter	other	798	15.1:1
Idea Edinburg College Preparatory Charter	other	795	15.8:1
Idea Rundberg College Preparatory Charter	other	790	15.6:1
Idea Edgemere Academy Charter	other	788	22.7:1
Idea Brownsville College Preparatory Charter	other	783	15.9:1
Idea Frontier College Preparatory Charter	other	781	15.5:1
Idea College Preparatory San Benito Charter	other	780	16.7:1
Idea Los Encinos Academy Charter	other	770	24.8:1
Idea Weslaco Pike College Preparatory Charter	other	758	15.6:1
Idea North Mission College Preparatory Charter	other	756	16.1:1
Idea Los Encinos College Preparatory Charter	other	753	19.5:1
Idea Mays College Preparatory Charter	other	748	14.2:1
Idea Judson College Preparatory Charter	other	747	15.4:1
Idea Academy Charter	other	744	25.1:1
Idea Monterrey Park College Preparatory Charter	other	743	16.5:1
Idea Converse Academy Charter	elementary	743	23.2:1
Idea Horizon Vista Academy Charter	other	742	29.3:1
Idea College Preparatory San Juan Charter	other	741	13.2:1
Idea Mcallen Academy Charter	other	738	26.9:1
Idea College Preparatory Alamo Charter	other	737	16.7:1
Idea Elsa College Preparatory Charter	other	737	14.8:1
Idea Yukon Academy Charter	elementary	736	22.6:1
Idea Weslaco Pike Academy Charter	other	734	25.4:1
Idea Burke Academy Charter	elementary	730	24.4:1
Idea College Prep Weslaco Charter	other	728	17.3:1
Idea Edinburg Academy Charter	other	728	25.2:1
Idea Spears Academy Charter	elementary	728	24.7:1
Idea Walzem College Preparatory Charter	other	724	17.1:1
Idea North Mission Academy Charter	other	719	21.1:1
Idea Lake Houston Academy Charter	elementary	719	27.4:1
Idea Elsa Academy Charter	other	718	26:1
Idea Round Rock Tech Academy Charter	elementary	718	21.7:1
Idea Academy Pharr Charter	other	717	25.4:1
Idea Rio Grande City Academy Charter	other	717	22.9:1
Idea South Flores College Preparatory Charter	other	715	16.1:1
Idea Riverview Academy Charter	other	714	24.4:1
Idea Edgecliff Academy Charter	elementary	708	20.9:1
Idea Hardy Academy Charter	elementary	705	26.9:1
Idea Palmview Academy Charter	elementary	705	22.4:1
Idea Ewing Halsell Academy Charter	elementary	704	22.5:1
Idea Brownsville Academy Charter	elementary	702	22.6:1
Idea Judson Academy Charter	elementary	701	23.7:1
Idea Owassa Academy Charter	other	699	23.8:1
Idea Robindale Academy Charter	elementary	699	21.1:1
Idea Academy Alamo Charter	other	698	23.6:1
Idea Southeast Academy Charter	elementary	698	22.7:1
Idea Rio Vista Academy Charter	other	696	24.4:1
Idea Rio Grande City College Preparatory Charter	other	695	14.8:1
Idea Tres Lagos Academy Charter	other	695	22.5:1
Idea Montopolis Academy Charter	elementary	694	22.4:1
Idea Rundberg Academy Charter	elementary	694	22.7:1
Idea Robindale College Preparatory Charter	other	693	20.3:1
Idea Bluff Springs College Preparatory Charter	other	689	13.4:1
Idea Owassa College Preparatory Charter	other	689	15.1:1
Idea Academy San Benito Charter	other	685	23.5:1
Idea Tres Lagos College Preparatory Charter	other	685	13.1:1
Idea Kyle College Preparatory Charter	other	681	15.9:1
Idea Rise Academy Charter	elementary	681	23.3:1
Idea South Flores Academy Charter	elementary	680	22.8:1
Idea Frontier Academy Charter	other	675	24.1:1
Idea Brackenridge College Preparatory Charter	other	671	18:1
Idea Pflugerville College Preparatory Charter	other	669	16.8:1
Idea Quest College Preparatory Charter	other	667	15.8:1
Idea Pflugerville Academy Charter	elementary	665	19.6:1
Idea Academy Mission Charter	other	664	25.2:1
Idea Mays Academy Charter	elementary	663	20.3:1
Idea Carver College Preparatory Charter	other	661	15.6:1
Idea La Joya Academy Charter	elementary	656	19.2:1
Idea Harlingen Academy Charter	elementary	651	20.9:1
Idea Academy Weslaco Charter	elementary	649	24:1
Idea Mesa Hills Academy Charter	other	643	25.5:1
Idea Mesquite Hills Academy Charter	other	641	23:1
Idea Kyle Academy Charter	elementary	637	24.4:1
Idea Hardy College Preparatory Charter	middle	635	31.6:1
Idea Brackenridge Academy Charter	elementary	631	26.2:1
Idea Parmer Park College Preparatory Charter	other	624	18.8:1
Idea Parmer Park Academy Charter	elementary	621	23.3:1
Idea Burke College Preparatory Charter	other	620	18.3:1
Idea Edgemere College Preparatory Charter	other	619	15.8:1
Idea Academy San Juan Charter	other	617	24.1:1
Idea Spears College Preparatory Charter	middle	617	27.4:1
Idea Walzem Academy Charter	elementary	611	25.3:1
Idea Ewing Halsell College Preparatory Charter	other	611	17:1
Idea Hidden Meadow Academy Charter	elementary	608	22.9:1
Idea Monterrey Park Academy Charter	elementary	607	25.5:1
Idea Edgecliff College Preparatory Charter	middle	604	26.2:1
Idea Rise College Preparatory Charter	other	598	17.2:1
Idea Quest Academy Charter	other	592	25.4:1
Idea Rio Vista College Preparatory Charter	other	590	12.9:1
Idea Ingram Hills Academy Charter	elementary	588	23.9:1
Idea Achieve Academy Charter	elementary	585	21.5:1
Idea Sports Park Academy Charter	elementary	571	17.8:1
Idea Ingram Hills College Preparatory Charter	other	543	14.1:1
Idea Najim Academy Charter	elementary	540	23.7:1
Idea Mesa Hills College Preparatory Charter	other	533	17.5:1
Idea Bluff Springs Academy Charter	elementary	521	19.8:1
Idea Round Rock Tech College Preparatory Charter	middle	504	20:1
Idea Yukon College Preparatory Charter	middle	503	27.1:1
Idea Lake Houston College Preparatory Charter	middle	499	21.8:1
Idea Southeast College Preparatory Charter	middle	475	24.3:1
Idea Najim College Preparatory Charter	other	474	16.9:1
Idea Eastside College Preparatory Charter	other	469	14.6:1
Idea Carver Academy Charter	elementary	468	22.1:1
Idea Achieve College Preparatory Charter	other	466	20:1
Idea Converse College Preparatory Charter	middle	462	23.9:1
Idea Sports Park College Preparatory Charter	high	457	13:1
Idea Harlingen College Preparatory Charter	middle	457	17.4:1
Idea Palmview College Preparatory Charter	middle	446	14.9:1
Idea Ambrose and Freda Robinson Academy Charter	elementary	423	25.2:1
Idea Horizon Vista College Preparatory Charter	middle	402	22:1
Idea Eastside Academy Charter	elementary	392	22.5:1
Idea Health Professions College Preparatory Charter	other	376	12:1
Idea Mesquite Hills College Preparatory Charter	middle	352	20.1:1
Idea La Joya College Preparatory Charter	middle	344	14.4:1
Idea Hidden Meadow College Preparatory Charter	middle	336	19:1
Idea Health Professions Academy Charter	elementary	294	15.9:1
Idea Toros College Preparatory Charter	other	258	12.8:1
Idea Ambrose and Freda Robinson College Preparator Charter	middle	111	20:1

Nearby Districts in Texas

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

HOUSTON ISD

189,934 students · 274 schools · $14,515/pupil

Compare vs IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS →

DALLAS ISD

141,169 students · 240 schools · $18,024/pupil

Compare vs IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS →

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

118,010 students · 91 schools · $14,636/pupil

Compare vs IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS →

NORTHSIDE ISD

102,719 students · 124 schools · $13,257/pupil

Compare vs IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS →

KATY ISD

92,667 students · 74 schools · $14,435/pupil

Compare vs IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS →

Compare IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs HOUSTON ISD →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS has 123 schools, including 69 other, 38 elementary, 15 middle, 1 high. Total enrollment is 74,217 students.

How much does IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS spend per student?

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS spends $11,965 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #793 in Texas.

What is the average rent near IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Hidalgo County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS students are 85.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% African American, 5.3% White, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 123 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #793 out of 1044 districts in Texas. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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