The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Dr Americo Paredes El
Dr. Americo Paredes Elementary sits on Bentsen Palm Drive in Mission, Texas, serving children from pre-K through fifth grade within La Joya ISD. Mission is a mid-sized Rio Grande Valley city with a young population, a heavily Mexican-origin community, and a substantial share of residents born outside the United States. The local economy ties into the broader McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro, where food and beverage production, health services, and retail trade anchor employment. Named regional employers include Frito-Lay, H-E-B, T-Mobile USA, and Duro Bag Manufacturing, and publicly reported projections point to continued job growth across the metro through the end of the decade.
The school's student body is nearly entirely Hispanic, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the deep economic need that characterizes much of this part of the Rio Grande Valley. English learner data and special education figures were not available in the data provided.
On Texas STAAR assessments, the most recent results show performance that is substantially below state averages and places the school in the bottom quartile among districts in Hidalgo County on an overall proficiency index. In third-grade reading, only a small fraction of students tested at proficient or above, and third-grade math results were similarly low. Fourth-grade ELA showed meaningfully better results, with roughly half of tested students reaching proficiency, and fifth-grade math came in somewhat higher than the third-grade math figure, though still well below typical state benchmarks. Fifth-grade science results were also low. The share of students reaching the "masters" level across all subjects, the highest STAAR performance tier, was quite thin. Only a single year of data is available, so there is no trend to assess. A parent will want to ask the school directly about instructional supports, reading intervention programs, and how students who are significantly behind grade level are being served.
The district context is a material consideration. La Joya ISD has been under Texas Education Agency state control since early 2024, after a TEA investigation substantiated findings of fraud and conflicts of interest by the prior elected board, including a publicly reported criminal conspiracy tied to a multimillion-dollar LED lighting contract. The TEA extended that state oversight through early 2028. Separately, in early 2026 the state-appointed board voted to close several elementary and middle school campuses and repurpose another into a career academy, effective with the 2026-2027 school year, driven by a sustained enrollment decline over the past decade. Dr. Americo Paredes Elementary is not among the schools listed for closure, but families in the district are navigating shifting attendance boundaries, transportation questions, and uncertainty about class sizes as the consolidation takes effect.
The housing market around the school is considerably more affordable than Texas as a whole. Home values in the area run well below the statewide median and well below the national median, and estimated monthly mortgage costs reflect that gap. Rent-to-income ratios appear manageable compared to many parts of the state. For a family weighing where to put down roots in the Valley, the affordability picture is a practical factor worth noting.
A graduation rate does not apply here because the school serves only pre-K through fifth grade. There are no AP, dual-credit, or career pathway data to report for the same reason. Discipline, attendance, and staffing figures were not available in the data provided.
What this school is, plainly: a small neighborhood elementary serving a very low-income, predominantly Spanish-speaking community in a border city, within a district navigating state takeover and consolidation at the same time. Academic performance as measured by state testing is low across most grades and subjects tested, and that pattern warrants direct follow-up with the school about how it supports students who are behind. The governance situation at the district level is evolving, and families enrolling now will be doing so during an uncertain transition period that the TEA projects will extend for at least another two years.
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