The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ligarde El
Ligarde Elementary is a public school in Laredo serving early grades from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, with an enrollment of roughly six hundred students. The school is located at the southern edge of Laredo, where most residents are Hispanic and the vast majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is almost entirely Hispanic, reflecting the city's predominant demographic profile.
Academic performance, based on the most recent state testing data, shows weak proficiency in math and science alongside stronger results in English language arts. In third-grade math, about three in ten students scored at proficiency or above. Fifth-grade math was slightly better, with about four in ten proficient. In fifth-grade science, proficiency dropped to about two in ten, a marked soft spot. English language arts tells a different story: the fifth-grade reading assessment showed about half of students meeting or exceeding proficiency, and schoolwide about four in five students reached the "approaches grade level" benchmark or higher in reading. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint when compared to other schools in Webb County. A parent may want to look into the school's math and science support structures in detail, since performance in those areas lags behind reading.
The school operates within Laredo ISD, a district publicly reported to be experiencing sustained enrollment decline that is tightening budgets and may prompt program cuts or consolidation decisions in the coming years. That context matters for families considering the area: the district's revenue is directly tied to attendance, so falling enrollment means fewer dollars available per school. On the positive side, Laredo ISD operates a network of specialty high schools with dual-credit and early-college pathways, giving students multiple routes to college and career credentials, but those programs are at the secondary level and do not directly affect an elementary school experience.
Housing in the Laredo area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, with home values modest and rent-to-income ratios manageable. The locale is a predominantly Hispanic border city with a mixed character: the downtown core has walkable plazas and historic neighborhoods, but much of the city sprawls outward and is car-dependent. Laredo's economy centers on cross-border logistics, with major employers in transportation, warehousing, and retail tied to the Port of Laredo.
Ligarde serves students who are largely economically disadvantaged, with nearly all qualifying for meal assistance. The school's small K-5 grade band means no state testing occurs in the very early grades, and no graduation or high school transition data applies. A parent evaluating this school would want to understand the school's specific instructional strategies in math and science, since performance in those subjects suggests students are struggling to build foundational skills during these crucial early years.
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