- Enrollment
- 1,065
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Zapata, TX
Zapata South El
Federal NCES profile for Zapata South El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 484671009447
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Zapata South El earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Zapata · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.6:1
- small classes for Texas
- 85.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Zapata South El has class sizes smaller than 70% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Zapata South El ranks #1 of 3 schools in Zapata, TX.
School address
District: Zapata County Isd · Texas
NCES ID 484671009447 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-25 students YoY
Zapata South El shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 442 in 2023-24 (-5.4%).
Teacher FTE held 34.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-25 students YoY 484671009447 · Zapata, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
428 enr · 12.6:1 · 85.7% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Zapata H S (1,065 students)
Zapata South El shrank from 467 students in 2022-23 to 442 in 2023-24 (-5.4%). Teacher FTE held 34.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Zapata South El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Zapata H S
Zapata H S
1,065 students
- Zapata Middle
Zapata Middle
730 students
- Zapata North E
Zapata North El
571 students
- Fidel and Andr
Fidel and Andrea R Villarreal El
445 students
- This school
Zapata South El
428 students
- Benavides El 51
Benavides El
51 students
What this shows Zapata South El reports 428 students on the CCD universe file.
How Zapata South El compares
Zapata South El is a shrinking 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 | 12.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.7% | ▲ 38% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 428 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
428
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
85.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 30% in Texas - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.0%
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
$13,602
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 428 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 100.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 100.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.0, Zapata South El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Zapata County Isd reports $13,602 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Zapata South El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapata H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Zapata Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Zapata North El | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fidel and Andrea R Villarreal El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benavides El | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Zapata South El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 730
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 571
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 445
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 51
- Students per teacher
- 8.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~428 students)
Frequently asked questions about Zapata South El
How many students attend Zapata South El?
Zapata South El has 428 students enrolled. It is a public school in Zapata, TX. CCD year-over-year: 467 (2022-23) → 442 (2023-24), down 25.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Zapata South El?
The student-teacher ratio at Zapata South El is 12.6:1, which is 14% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 20% 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 Zapata South El?
85.7% of students at Zapata South El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Zapata South El?
The largest demographic group at Zapata South El is Hispanic or Latino at 100.0% of enrollment, in Zapata, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Zapata South El?
Zapata South 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 Zapata South El rank among schools in Zapata?
By Resource Investment Index, Zapata South El ranks #1 of 3 schools in Zapata, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Zapata on the city page.
What other schools are in Zapata County Isd?
Besides Zapata South El, Zapata County Isd also operates Zapata H S (1,065 students), Zapata Middle (730 students), and Zapata North El (571 students). See the Zapata County Isd district page for the complete list.