Enrollment
392
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Laredo, TX
Hector J Garcia Early College H S
Federal NCES profile for Hector J Garcia Early College H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 482679011365
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hector J Garcia Early College H S earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #1 of 11
- high schools in Laredo · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Texas
- 81.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Hector J Garcia Early College H S has class sizes larger than 94% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hector J Garcia Early College H S ranks #1 of 11 high schools in Laredo, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.2%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hector J Garcia Early College H S compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hector J Garcia Early College H S
Hector J Garcia Early College H S is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Laredo, Texas, enrolling 392 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.6:1 is larger than about 94% of Texas schools and 40% above the 14.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 392 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 1,754 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #50, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 2/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 196 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 29.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Laredo Isd also operates Nixon H S (2,124 students) and Martin H S (1,975 students) alongside Hector J Garcia Early College H S.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Hector J Garcia Early College H S compares
Hector J Garcia Early College H S on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 40% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.2% | ▲ 31% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 94% in Texas - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
7.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,275
per pupil, district-wide
- above Texas avg of $13,644
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 196 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 99.0%
White 0.3%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.0, Hector J Garcia Early College H S is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Laredo Isd, which includes Hector J Garcia Early College H S.
$14,275
Per student
+5%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.1%
State 58.0%
Federal 29.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Hector J Garcia Early College H S Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nixon H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Martin H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dr Leo Cigarroa H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lamar Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Christen Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hector J Garcia Early College H S's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,124
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,975
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,379
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,204
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,115
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~392 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hector J Garcia Early College H S's federal record.
- Compare Hector J Garcia Early College H S against another school. Compare schools
- Laredo Isd's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Hector J Garcia Early College H S
How many students attend Hector J Garcia Early College H S?
Hector J Garcia Early College H S has 392 students enrolled. It is a high school in Laredo, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hector J Garcia Early College H S?
The student-teacher ratio at Hector J Garcia Early College H S is 20.6:1, which is 40% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hector J Garcia Early College H S?
81.2% of students at Hector J Garcia Early College H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hector J Garcia Early College H S?
The largest demographic group at Hector J Garcia Early College H S is Hispanic or Latino at 99.0% of enrollment, in Laredo, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hector J Garcia Early College H S?
Hector J Garcia Early College H S has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hector J Garcia Early College H S rank among high schools in Laredo?
By Resource Investment Index, Hector J Garcia Early College H S ranks #1 of 11 high schools in Laredo, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Laredo on the city page.
Is Hector J Garcia Early College H S a good school?
Hector J Garcia Early College H S earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Laredo Isd?
Besides Hector J Garcia Early College H S, Laredo Isd also operates Nixon H S (2,124 students), Martin H S (1,975 students), and Dr Leo Cigarroa H S (1,379 students). See the Laredo Isd district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.