- Enrollment
- 2,433
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Harlingen, TX
Houston El
Federal NCES profile for Houston El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482253002285
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houston El earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #10 of 21
- schools in Harlingen · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 85.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Houston El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houston El ranks #10 of 21 schools in Harlingen, TX.
School address
District: Harlingen Cisd · Texas
NCES ID 482253002285 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-51 students YoY
Houston El shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 416 in 2023-24 (-10.9%).
Teacher FTE added 32.6 → 33.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-51 students YoY 482253002285 · Harlingen, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
420 enr · 13.1:1 · 85.0% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Harlingen H S (2,433 students)
Houston El shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 416 in 2023-24 (-10.9%). Teacher FTE added 32.6 → 33.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Houston El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Harlingen H S
Harlingen H S
2,433 students
- Harlingen H S
Harlingen H S - South
2,019 students
- Dr Abraham P C
Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy
1,188 students
- Moises Vela Mi 761
Moises Vela Middle
761 students
- Treasure Hills 758
Treasure Hills El
758 students
- This school 420
Houston El
420 students
What this shows Houston El reports 420 students on the CCD universe file.
How Houston El compares
Houston El is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.0% | ▲ 37% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 420 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
420
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
85.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 35% in Texas - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,586
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $14,348
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.1 FTE
Per 368 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 97.1%
White 2.1%
African American 0.5%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.7, Houston El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Harlingen Cisd reports $13,586 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Houston El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harlingen H S - South | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Moises Vela Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Treasure Hills El | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houston El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,019
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,188
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 761
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~420 students)
Frequently asked questions about Houston El
How many students attend Houston El?
Houston El has 420 students enrolled. It is a public school in Harlingen, TX. CCD year-over-year: 467 (2022-23) → 416 (2023-24), down 51.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houston El?
The student-teacher ratio at Houston El is 13.1:1, which is 11% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Houston El?
85.0% of students at Houston El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houston El?
The largest demographic group at Houston El is Hispanic or Latino at 97.1% of enrollment, in Harlingen, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houston El?
Houston El has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Houston El rank among schools in Harlingen?
By Resource Investment Index, Houston El ranks #10 of 21 schools in Harlingen, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Harlingen on the city page.
What other schools are in Harlingen Cisd?
Besides Houston El, Harlingen Cisd also operates Harlingen H S (2,433 students), Harlingen H S - South (2,019 students), and Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy (1,188 students). See the Harlingen Cisd district page for the complete list.