Enrollment
840
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Mercedes, TX
South Texas Isd Science Academy
Federal NCES profile for South Texas Isd Science Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 483715000429
👥 S:T ratio 43
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Texas Isd Science Academy earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #1 of 6
- high schools in Mercedes · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 33.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Texas Isd Science Academy has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Texas Isd Science Academy ranks #1 of 6 high schools in Mercedes, TX.
School address
District: South Texas Isd · Texas
NCES ID 483715000429 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.8%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Texas Isd Science Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Texas Isd Science Academy
South Texas Isd Science Academy is a mid-sized high school in Mercedes, Texas, enrolling 840 students.
At 14.2:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 840 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 962 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #49, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 246 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding South Texas Isd spends $16,503 per pupil, 21% above the Texas average, a better-resourced district than most.
South Texas Isd also operates South Texas Isd Medical Professions (820 students) and South Texas Isd Preparatory Academy (802 students) alongside South Texas Isd Science 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 South Texas Isd Science Academy compares
South Texas Isd Science 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.8% | ▼ 45% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 840 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
840
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 50% in Texas - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,503
per pupil, district-wide
- above Texas avg of $13,644
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.4 FTE
Per 246 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 82.9%
White 8.2%
Asian 6.4%
African American 1.7%
Two or More 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.2, South Texas Isd Science Academy is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Texas Isd, which includes South Texas Isd Science Academy.
$16,503
Per student
+21%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 12.5%
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 South Texas Isd Science Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas Isd Medical Professions | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Texas Isd Preparatory Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Texas Isd Health Professions | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Texas Isd Rising Scholars Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Texas Isd World Scholars | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Texas Isd Science Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 802
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar high 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 (~840 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Texas Isd Science Academy's federal record.
- Compare South Texas Isd Science Academy against another school. Compare schools
- South Texas 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 South Texas Isd Science Academy
How many students attend South Texas Isd Science Academy?
South Texas Isd Science Academy has 840 students enrolled. It is a high school in Mercedes, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Texas Isd Science Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Texas Isd Science Academy is 14.2:1, which is 3% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 10% 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 Texas Isd Science Academy?
33.8% of students at South Texas Isd Science Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Texas Isd Science Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Texas Isd Science Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 82.9% of enrollment, in Mercedes, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Texas Isd Science Academy?
South Texas Isd Science Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Texas Isd Science Academy rank among high schools in Mercedes?
By Resource Investment Index, South Texas Isd Science Academy ranks #1 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.
Is South Texas Isd Science Academy a good school?
South Texas Isd Science Academy earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. 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 South Texas Isd?
Besides South Texas Isd Science Academy, South Texas Isd also operates South Texas Isd Medical Professions (820 students), South Texas Isd Preparatory Academy (802 students), and South Texas Isd Health Professions (781 students). See the South Texas 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.