Roma Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Roma Isd

Roma ISD, located in Starr County in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, serves a district-wide enrollment spanning pre-K through grade 12 across multiple school campuses. The district is nearly entirely Hispanic, with virtually all families speaking Spanish as a first language. A substantial share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the area's economic context.

The district's state test results show a pattern of strength in the early grades that narrows significantly by middle school. In elementary grades three through five, proficiency rates in both English language arts and math range from solid to strong. By sixth grade, however, there is a steep decline: math proficiency drops notably, and this plateau persists or fluctuates through the eighth grade. English language arts similarly drops at sixth grade and remains lower through the middle grades. Science testing at fifth grade shows solid proficiency, but by eighth grade proficiency is substantially lower. Social studies proficiency at eighth grade is particularly low. This grade-level pattern is the clearest finding in the data and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what changes in instruction, support systems, or student transitions occur at the sixth-grade level.

Across all tested subjects and grade levels, the district's overall proficiency index is in the top quartile among Starr County's districts, reflecting the strength of early elementary performance. However, the district sits in the bottom quartile on chronic absenteeism, a metric educators view as tied to academic outcomes, and a parent may want to explore attendance trends and support structures with school leadership.

Housing values in the district's area are below the state median, making homeownership relatively affordable for families in the region. Per-pupil current spending is in the upper-middle range among county districts.

The district has undertaken significant capital investment through a voter-approved school bond passed in May 2023 that funds facility upgrades across multiple campuses, including renovations to gymnasiums, athletic facilities, and the construction of new multipurpose spaces with career-and-technical-education classrooms and a black box theater. These infrastructure improvements are meant to last and are being repaid through the district's property tax rate.

On the academic pathway side, Roma ISD has secured meaningful external support for college access. A four-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced in 2025, administered through Region One Education Service Center and South Texas College, expands free dual-credit and early-college pathways at Roma High School, with the goal of helping students earn at least 15 college credits before graduation. Separately, the district received a state Jobs and Education for Texans grant to establish a healthcare career-and-technical-education pathway in partnership with South Texas College, training students as licensed practical and vocational nurses and providing an industry credential before high school completion. These initiatives durably expand post-secondary options for a student population where most families face economic constraints on college access.

A parent considering Roma ISD should weigh the solid elementary foundation against the significant proficiency drop at sixth grade, and should speak directly with the district about the causes and any interventions underway. The dual-credit and career pathway expansions represent real college-access infrastructure, particularly valuable for first-generation and economically disadvantaged students. The recent bond-funded facility improvements signal district investment in long-term campus quality.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,932

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 100%

White 0%

Two+ 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

13%

—

Gr 4

81%

—

Gr 5

81%

—

Gr 6

46%

79%

Gr 7

47%

49%

Gr 8

52%

55%

Math

Gr 3

76%

97%

Gr 4

—

96%

Gr 5

43%

86%

Gr 6

22%

50%

Gr 7

46%

72%

Gr 8

67%

79%

Science

Gr 5

50%

—

Gr 8

46%

55%

Social studies

Gr 8

28%

42%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

57%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

10%

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

35%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

47%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

32%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

66%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

13%

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

40%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

47%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

25%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

67%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

12%

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

36%

—

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

INSTRUCTIONAL & GUIDANCE CENTER

RAMIRO BARRERA MIDDLE

ROEL A & CELIA R SAENZ EL

VETERANS MEMORIAL EL

DELIA GONZALEZ GARCIA EL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

78%

Grade 3

80%

Grade 4

84%

Grade 5

24%

Grade 6

49%

Grade 7

68%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

81%

Grade 3

82%

Grade 4

82%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

74%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

30%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$148,347

Year-over-year change-0.9%

vs. state typical0.49x

vs. national typical0.40x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
78582	Rio Grande City	$148K	-0.9%	45.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$749/mo

Home price / national median income1.8x

Comparison

State typical home value$302,187 (-2.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.