The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Harrel El
Harrel Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Kingsville, a mixed-use small city in Kleberg County about forty miles southwest of Corpus Christi. The school enrolls a population that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body reflects a tight-knit, economically constrained community whose daily life centers on education (through Texas A&M University-Kingsville), ranching, healthcare, and the military presence at Naval Air Station Kingsville.
State assessment results show consistent and substantial weakness across the school. In mathematics, measured proficiency in third grade stands well below what you would see in higher-performing schools; fourth-grade math performance is notably higher but still reflects significant gaps; fifth-grade math is again very low. English language arts follows a similar pattern: third and fifth grades show soft results, while fourth grade stands noticeably better. Science proficiency in fifth grade is markedly weak. Across all subjects and grades combined, the school sits below the midpoint of performance among districts in Kleberg County. A parent may want to discuss these results directly with school leadership to understand what instruction looks like, what supports are in place for students who are behind, and what trajectory the school is on.
The school is small for its grade band, with an enrollment distributed fairly evenly across grades. About eight or nine of every ten students qualify for free or reduced lunch, which reflects both the economic circumstances of the immediate neighborhood and the likelihood of greater need for in-school resources and support services. The racial and ethnic composition is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller white population and very few students of other backgrounds.
Kingsville itself is experiencing flat to slow population decline, with housing stock that is older overall. The median home value is below the state benchmark, and rental costs are modest by state standards, making the area relatively affordable. The local economy is anchored by the university, King Ranch (one of the largest working ranches in the United States), healthcare, county government, the military base, and agricultural employers. A major development project, 1PointFive's South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub, is expected to generate significant construction and permanent jobs in coming years.
Within Kingsville ISD, the district recently returned to a five-day school week for 2025-26 after a three-year experiment with four-day weeks, driven partly by academic-performance concerns identified in state data. More notably, voters rejected a tax-ratification election in November 2025, leaving the district facing a substantial operating budget deficit and the prospect of cuts. These budget pressures, along with the calendar volatility of the past few years, signal financial and operational strain that could affect program offerings and staffing stability.
A parent considering Harrel would be choosing a neighborhood elementary school in a community of limited means, with low proficiency results that warrant direct conversation with educators about instruction and intervention, and a district currently managing financial constraints. The school likely serves its community with the resources available, but the assessment data and district-level budget picture suggest this is a setting where parental engagement and advocacy for support services may matter considerably.
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