- Enrollment
- 2,699
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Mercedes, TX
South Palm Gardens H S
Federal NCES profile for South Palm Gardens H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 484496004795
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 86
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Palm Gardens H S earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #5 of 6
- high schools in Mercedes · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 89.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Palm Gardens H S has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Palm Gardens H S ranks #5 of 6 high schools in Mercedes, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+1 students YoY
South Palm Gardens H S held near 66 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 5.6 → 5.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+1 students YoY 484496004795 · Mercedes, TX High · SMALL · TRAD
72 enr · 14.4:1 · 89.2% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Weslaco H S (2,699 students)
South Palm Gardens H S held near 66 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount). Teacher FTE held 5.6 → 5.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
South Palm Gardens H S in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Weslaco H S
Weslaco H S
2,699 students
- Weslaco East H
Weslaco East H S
2,066 students
- Memorial El
Memorial El
1,109 students
- Dr R E Margo E
Dr R E Margo El
1,085 students
- Central Middle 1,060
Central Middle
1,060 students
- This school 72
South Palm Gardens H S
72 students
What this shows South Palm Gardens H S reports 72 students on the CCD universe file.
How South Palm Gardens H S compares
South Palm Gardens H S 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.2% | ▲ 44% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 72 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
72
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
89.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in Texas - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.3%
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
$12,558
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 72 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.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 98.6%
White 1.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.8, South Palm Gardens H S is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP program Not offered
District finance for Weslaco Isd reports $12,558 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How South Palm Gardens H S Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weslaco H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weslaco East H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Memorial El | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr R E Margo El | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Palm Gardens H S's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,109
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,060
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Nationwide high 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 (~72 students)
Frequently asked questions about South Palm Gardens H S
How many students attend South Palm Gardens H S?
South Palm Gardens H S has 72 students enrolled. It is a high school in Mercedes, TX. CCD year-over-year: 65 (2022-23) → 66 (2023-24), nearly flat (+1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Palm Gardens H S?
The student-teacher ratio at South Palm Gardens H S is 14.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 8% 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 South Palm Gardens H S?
89.2% of students at South Palm Gardens H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Palm Gardens H S?
The largest demographic group at South Palm Gardens H S is Hispanic or Latino at 98.6% of enrollment, in Mercedes, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Palm Gardens H S?
South Palm Gardens H S has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 South Palm Gardens H S rank among high schools in Mercedes?
By Resource Investment Index, South Palm Gardens H S ranks #5 of 6 high schools in Mercedes, 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 Mercedes on the city page.
What other schools are in Weslaco Isd?
Besides South Palm Gardens H S, Weslaco Isd also operates Weslaco H S (2,699 students), Weslaco East H S (2,066 students), and Memorial El (1,109 students). See the Weslaco Isd district page for the complete list.