- Enrollment
- 2,216
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brownsville, TX
Pena El
Federal NCES profile for Pena El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 481168012087
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pena El earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #41 of 50
- schools in Brownsville · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Texas
- 57.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Pena El has class sizes larger than 88% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pena El ranks #41 of 50 schools in Brownsville, TX.
School address
District: Brownsville Isd · Texas
NCES ID 481168012087 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Pena El held near 471 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 27.4 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 481168012087 · Brownsville, TX Other · MID · TRAD
501 enr · 18.6:1 · 57.8% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Veterans Memorial Early College H S (2,216 students)
Pena El held near 471 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 27.4 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Pena El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Veterans Memor
Veterans Memorial Early College H S
2,216 students
- Rivera Early C
Rivera Early College H S
2,150 students
- Hanna Early Co
Hanna Early College H S
2,039 students
- Lopez Early Co
Lopez Early College H S
1,739 students
- Pace Early Col
Pace Early College H S
1,621 students
- This school 501
Pena El
501 students
What this shows Pena El reports 501 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pena El compares
Pena El held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▲ 27% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.8% | ▼ 7% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
57.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 88% in Texas - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$14,041
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 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 99.8%
White 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.4, Pena El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Brownsville Isd reports $14,041 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pena El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Early College H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rivera Early College H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hanna Early College H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lopez Early College H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pace Early College H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pena El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,150
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 2,039
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 1,739
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,621
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- 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 (~501 students)
Frequently asked questions about Pena El
How many students attend Pena El?
Pena El has 501 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brownsville, TX. CCD year-over-year: 472 (2022-23) → 471 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pena El?
The student-teacher ratio at Pena El is 18.6:1, which is 27% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pena El?
57.8% of students at Pena El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pena El?
The largest demographic group at Pena El is Hispanic or Latino at 99.8% of enrollment, in Brownsville, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pena El?
Pena El has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Pena El rank among schools in Brownsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Pena El ranks #41 of 50 schools in Brownsville, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brownsville on the city page.
What other schools are in Brownsville Isd?
Besides Pena El, Brownsville Isd also operates Veterans Memorial Early College H S (2,216 students), Rivera Early College H S (2,150 students), and Hanna Early College H S (2,039 students). See the Brownsville Isd district page for the complete list.