Enrollment
299
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Donna, TX
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy
Federal NCES profile for J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 481739006244
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy earns 34/100 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 20
- public schools in Donna · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 93.9%
- free-lunch eligible
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy ranks #10 of 20 public schools in Donna, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.9%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Donna, Texas, enrolling 299 students.
At 14.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Texas median, within a few percentage points of the 14.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 93.9% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the Texas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 299 puts it in the smaller third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 802 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #658, in the lower tier 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).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 365 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 28.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Donna Isd also operates Donna H S (1,992 students) and Donna North H S (1,974 students) alongside J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy.
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 J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy compares
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.9% | ▲ 52% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 299 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
299
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Texas - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.2%
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
$13,771
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.0, J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Donna Isd, which includes J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy.
$13,771
Per student
+1%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.1%
State 58.9%
Federal 28.0%
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 J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donna H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Donna North H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Veterans Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maria Alicia P Munoz El | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| W a Todd Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,992
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 688
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary 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 (~299 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy's federal record.
- Compare J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Donna 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 J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy
How many students attend J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy?
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy has 299 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Donna, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy is 14.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy?
93.9% of students at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy?
The largest demographic group at J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 99.0% of enrollment, in Donna, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy?
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy rank among public schools in Donna?
By Resource Investment Index, J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy ranks #10 of 20 public schools in Donna, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Donna on the city page.
Is J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy a good school?
J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools. 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 Donna Isd?
Besides J W Caceres Discovery Int Academy, Donna Isd also operates Donna H S (1,992 students), Donna North H S (1,974 students), and Veterans Middle (866 students). See the Donna 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.