MCALLEN ISD

MCALLEN, Texas — 30 schools

20,399
Total Enrollment
30
Schools
$15,178
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

MCALLEN ISD operates 30 public schools serving 20,399 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 19 other, 6 middle, 5 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 19,889 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 $15,178 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 29.7% local, 35.5% state, and 34.8% 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. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $89,209 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 59/100, ranked #340 of 1044 in Texas against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 30 schools offering Advanced Placement (83 AP courses district-wide), a 296.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 30.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 94.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.6% White, 0.9% Asian across the district's schools.

MCALLEN ISD school enrollment varies 45× across entities

MCALLEN ISD school enrollment ranges from 47 students (lowest) to 2,134 students (highest), a spread of 2,087 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

MCALLEN ISD has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 76.9% 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

MCALLEN ISD student-counselor ratio is 297:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within MCALLEN ISD is typically wider than the MCALLEN ISD-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

MCALLEN ISD chronic absenteeism rate is 30.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

34.8%
Federal
35.5%
State
29.7%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
340 / 1044
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

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

Average Teacher Salary

$89,209
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 30 schools in MCALLEN ISD.

White 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 94.6%
Asian 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

5 / 30
Schools with AP
83 AP courses total
296.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in MCALLEN ISD

School Enrollment
Mcallen H S
2,134
Memorial H S
2,021
Rowe H S
1,905
Morris Middle
999
Cathey Middle
827
Gonzalez El
818
Milam El
811
Michael E Fossum Middle
791
De Leon Middle
664
Dr Pablo Perez
601
Brown Middle
580
Jackson El
548
Seguin El
530
Rayburn El
530
Travis Middle
505
Blanca E Sanchez
502
Escandon El
478
Thigpen-Zavala El
470
Fields El
443
Alvarez El
435
Lucile Hendricks El
432
Achieve Early College H S
428
Garza El
409
Wilson El
408
Houston El
397
Mcauliffe El
385
Castaneda El
374
Roosevelt El
357
Instr/Guid Center
60
Lamar Academy
47

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
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DALLAS ISD
141,169 students · 240 schools · $18,024/pupil
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CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD
118,010 students · 91 schools · $14,636/pupil
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NORTHSIDE ISD
102,719 students · 124 schools · $13,257/pupil
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KATY ISD
92,667 students · 74 schools · $14,435/pupil
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Compare MCALLEN ISD

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

Compare vs HOUSTON ISD →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in MCALLEN ISD?

MCALLEN ISD has 30 schools, including 5 high, 6 middle, 19 other. Total enrollment is 20,399 students.

How much does MCALLEN ISD spend per student?

MCALLEN ISD spends $15,178 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #340 in Texas.

What is the average teacher salary in MCALLEN ISD?

The average teacher salary in MCALLEN ISD is $89,209 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near MCALLEN ISD?

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 MCALLEN ISD?

MCALLEN ISD students are 94.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.6% White, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 30 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for MCALLEN ISD?

MCALLEN ISD has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #340 out of 1044 districts in Texas. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.