Garcia El, Corpus Christi TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Garcia El

Garcia Elementary is a small school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Corpus Christi, located on Gollihar Road. The enrollment is modest, distributed across all seven grade levels, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the composition of this part of Corpus Christi.

On state testing, Garcia's results show below-average proficiency in the county. In math, third-grade students achieved proficiency at just under two-fifths, with fourth grade slightly higher at roughly mid-point and fifth grade back down to two-fifths. English language arts performance is more uneven: fourth-grade proficiency fell to about one-third, while fifth-grade students performed somewhat better at just under one-half. Science testing, available only for fifth grade, showed the weakest performance, with fewer than one-third of fifth graders proficient. When looking at the school against other districts in Nueces County, Garcia's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among its county peers.

These results point to a school where a substantial share of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards in core subjects. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic support is available, what the school's literacy and math intervention programs look like, and how the school is addressing the gaps, particularly in science and the earlier grades of elementary school.

The broader context matters here. Corpus Christi ISD recently voted to close seven campuses, including four elementary schools, for the 2026-27 school year due to sharp enrollment decline and budget deficits. The district has lost a substantial number of students over recent years and is operating under financial strain. Garcia was not on the closure list, so the school remains open, but the district's consolidation and shrinking enrollment signal that attendance zones and school assignments may shift in coming years. Families considering Garcia should be aware that the district landscape is in flux.

On the positive side, Garcia serves all elementary grades and sits in a location accessible to families on Corpus Christi's Southside and surrounding neighborhoods. The school is part of a district that has kept its property tax rate stable even while facing budget pressures. For families looking for an elementary option in this area, Garcia represents a neighborhood school with a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students, which often means more intensive support services and Title I resources, though the test data suggests those supports have not yet translated into strong proficiency outcomes across the board. Understanding the school's specific instructional strategies, staffing, and community resources will be important for any family weighing enrollment.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 46% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 48% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 46% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 29% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 58% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 27%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

This schoolCORPUS CHRISTI ISD, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income38%Higher-income56%18 pp gap