- Enrollment
- 3,285
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · San Benito, TX
Palmer-Laakso El
Federal NCES profile for Palmer-Laakso El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482829007201
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmer-Laakso El earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #14 of 20
- schools in San Benito · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Texas
- 78.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmer-Laakso El has class sizes larger than 81% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer-Laakso El ranks #14 of 20 schools in San Benito, TX.
School address
District: Los Fresnos Cisd · Texas
NCES ID 482829007201 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+111 students YoY
Palmer-Laakso El grew from 495 students in 2022-23 to 606 in 2023-24 (+22.4%).
Teacher FTE held 34.1 → 34.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+111 students YoY 482829007201 · San Benito, TX Other · MID · TRAD
582 enr · 17.1:1 · 78.2% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Los Fresnos H S (3,285 students)
Palmer-Laakso El grew from 495 students in 2022-23 to 606 in 2023-24 (+22.4%). Teacher FTE held 34.1 → 34.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Palmer-Laakso El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Los Fresnos H
Los Fresnos H S
3,285 students
- Resaca Middle 870
Resaca Middle
870 students
- Los Cuates Mid 825
Los Cuates Middle
825 students
- Rancho Verde E 696
Rancho Verde El
696 students
- Liberty Memori 673
Liberty Memorial Middle
673 students
- This school 582
Palmer-Laakso El
582 students
What this shows Palmer-Laakso El reports 582 students on the CCD universe file.
How Palmer-Laakso El compares
Palmer-Laakso El is a growing 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.2% | ▲ 26% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 582 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
582
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
78.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 81% in Texas - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.0%
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
$12,356
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 582 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.7%
White 2.7%
Two or More 0.3%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.4, Palmer-Laakso El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Los Fresnos Cisd reports $12,356 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Palmer-Laakso El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Fresnos H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Resaca Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Los Cuates Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Verde El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty Memorial Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmer-Laakso El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 825
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 673
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
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 (~582 students)
Frequently asked questions about Palmer-Laakso El
How many students attend Palmer-Laakso El?
Palmer-Laakso El has 582 students enrolled. It is a public school in San Benito, TX. CCD year-over-year: 495 (2022-23) → 606 (2023-24), up 111.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer-Laakso El?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmer-Laakso El is 17.1:1, which is 16% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmer-Laakso El?
78.2% of students at Palmer-Laakso El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmer-Laakso El?
The largest demographic group at Palmer-Laakso El is Hispanic or Latino at 96.7% of enrollment, in San Benito, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmer-Laakso El?
Palmer-Laakso El has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Palmer-Laakso El rank among schools in San Benito?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer-Laakso El ranks #14 of 20 schools in San Benito, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in San Benito on the city page.
What other schools are in Los Fresnos Cisd?
Besides Palmer-Laakso El, Los Fresnos Cisd also operates Los Fresnos H S (3,285 students), Resaca Middle (870 students), and Los Cuates Middle (825 students). See the Los Fresnos Cisd district page for the complete list.