The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Thigpen-zavala El
Thigpen-Zavala Elementary sits on Galveston Avenue in McAllen, a Rio Grande Valley border city where healthcare, retail, cross-border trade, and education define the local economy. The school is part of McAllen ISD and serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school.
The student body is nearly entirely Hispanic, which reflects the broader demographics of McAllen and the surrounding region. The vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this among the higher-need campuses in the district. English learner counts and special education enrollment were not available in the data provided.
One thing that stands out in the enrollment picture is the grade distribution. The pre-kindergarten cohort is by far the largest group, substantially larger than any of the tested grades. This shape is worth understanding: it means a very large portion of the school's population is in untested early-childhood seats, and the tested grade cohorts in third and fifth grade are quite small.
That matters a lot when reading the state assessment results. Texas STAAR results are available for third, fourth, and fifth grades in math, reading and language arts, and science. The fourth-grade cohort is the largest of the tested groups, and those results are relatively strong: most fourth graders reached the "meets grade level" bar in both reading and ELA. Third and fifth grade cohorts are very small, with only a handful of students tested in each, so the reported proficiency rates for those grades carry a wide margin of uncertainty and should not be read as a firm signal of school-wide performance. One or two students more or fewer would shift those figures considerably. A parent who wants a clearer picture of third- and fifth-grade outcomes should ask the school directly about how those cohorts are supported.
Looking across all tested subjects and grades together, Thigpen-Zavala's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Hidalgo County. The "approaches grade level" rate across subjects is high, meaning most tested students are at least meeting the minimum standard. A meaningful share reach the "meets grade level" threshold, though the "masters grade level" rate is more modest. ELA is the strongest subject at the meets-and-above level. Science, tested only in fifth grade with a very small group, shows a lower proficiency rate, which again is hard to interpret given the small tested count.
Trend data is not available beyond the current year, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, stability, or decline.
At the district level, McAllen ISD has a few features worth knowing. Publicly reported information indicates the district has made Emotional Intelligence instruction a mandatory part of the curriculum at every campus from pre-K upward, including required EQ credits for older students. Families who value social-emotional learning as an explicit, structured part of schooling will find that embedded here from the earliest grades. The district also passed a substantial bond measure in May 2026, approved by voters, that funds campus modernization, safety upgrades, CTE expansion at the high schools, and districtwide infrastructure work including HVAC and roofing. The district has stated that the bond does not raise the property tax rate, and McAllen ISD has publicly reported reducing its tax rate for consecutive years, saving homeowners on their annual school tax bills.
The housing market near the school is notably affordable compared to state and national medians. Home values are well below the Texas average, and rents are modest, with rents running at a relatively low share of income by national standards. The market has seen slight softening in recent months. McAllen itself is actively developing, with several large mixed-use projects underway or announced, so the area around the school is in a growth context.
For a family with young children, Thigpen-Zavala's large pre-K program may be a draw if early childhood access is a priority. The fourth-grade academic results are solid. The small size of the upper tested cohorts makes it genuinely difficult to draw firm conclusions about third- and fifth-grade outcomes from state data alone, and a direct conversation with the school about those grades would be worthwhile.
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