Santa Rosa Isd

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Santa Rosa, Texas - 3 schools

An equity score of 93/100 ranks Santa Rosa Isd #7 of 1044 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,722 per pupil, Santa Rosa Isd ranks #120 of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

915
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$17,722
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Santa Rosa Isd operates 3 public schools serving 915 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Cameron County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,722 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 121 of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 9.8% local, 56.8% state, and 33.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 93/100, ranked #7 of 1044 in Texas against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 257:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 39.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 98.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% White, 0.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Elma E Barrera El, with a diversity index of 3.1/100.

Its largest campus is Elma E Barrera El, enrolling 377 students (43% of the district's total enrollment).

Elma E Barrera El accounts for 41.2% of all Santa Rosa Isd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Santa Rosa Isd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Santa Rosa Isd has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 85.5% 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

Santa Rosa Isd student-counselor ratio is 257:1 — 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 Santa Rosa Isd is typically wider than the Santa Rosa Isd-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Santa Rosa Isd chronic absenteeism rate is 39.5% — 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?

33.3%
Federal
56.8%
State
9.8%
Local

Funding Equity

93
Equity Score
7 / 1044
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Santa Rosa Isd.

White 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 98.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 2.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Santa Rosa Isd's schools, below the Texas average of 44.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Elma E Barrera El 3.1
  2. 2 Santa Rosa H S 2.8
  3. 3 Jo Nelson Middle 1.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
257:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Santa Rosa Isd

School Enrollment
Elma E Barrera El
377
Santa Rosa H S
291
Jo Nelson Middle
206

How Santa Rosa Isd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Blooming Grove Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Hooks Isd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Valley View Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Marlin Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Legacy Traditional Schools - Texas Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Santa Rosa Isd's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $12,031/pupil
Compare vs Santa Rosa Isd →
Dallas Isd
141,169 students · 240 schools · $12,650/pupil
Compare vs Santa Rosa Isd →
Cypress-Fairbanks Isd
118,010 students · 91 schools · $10,232/pupil
Compare vs Santa Rosa Isd →
Northside Isd
102,719 students · 124 schools · $10,615/pupil
Compare vs Santa Rosa Isd →
Katy Isd
92,667 students · 74 schools · $11,068/pupil
Compare vs Santa Rosa Isd →

Compare Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa Isd?

Santa Rosa Isd has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 915 students.

How much does Santa Rosa Isd spend per student?

Santa Rosa Isd spends $17,722 per student. The district has an equity score of 93/100, ranking #7 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of Santa Rosa Isd?

Santa Rosa Isd students are 98.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% White, 0.2% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Santa Rosa Isd?

Santa Rosa Isd has an equity score of 93/100, ranking #7 out of 1044 districts in Texas.