The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Math. The lowest is 52% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Carmen Anaya El
Carmen Anaya Elementary is a public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Pharr, located in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District. The school enrolls a student body that is overwhelmingly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is small to moderate across the grade band, with the largest cohorts in fourth grade and declining enrollment in the upper elementary years.
Academic performance on state testing shows mixed results and warrants close examination. In third-grade math, students met proficiency standards at a below-average rate. Fourth-grade math performance improved substantially, showing a more respectable proficiency level. Fifth-grade English language arts results were stronger, with a solid majority meeting standards. However, fourth-grade English language arts proficiency was noticeably lower, dipping to roughly one in three students. Third-grade English language arts results, reported on the Spanish STAAR assessment, landed at the midpoint. Science testing data for fifth grade is too limited to report. A parent may want to look into why performance varies so much across grade levels and subjects, and what instructional supports are in place to address the gaps, especially in upper-elementary English language arts.
When proficiency is examined more broadly across all tested subjects and grades, the school sits in the top quartile among districts in Hidalgo County, suggesting that despite the grade-by-grade variations, overall attainment ranks well within its local context.
The school has no graduation rate because it does not serve high school students. The parent district, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, has restructured all of its high schools as Early College campuses, allowing students to begin college coursework in ninth grade and earn college credit or an associate degree at no cost to families. That pathway will be available to Carmen Anaya students when they advance to secondary grades.
A significant district development affecting long-term facility conditions: in November 2025, voters rejected two bond propositions that would have funded HVAC replacements, roofing repairs, parking improvements, and renovation of aging facilities including a fine arts auditorium. The district indicated that its operating budget cannot absorb these capital needs, so aging campus infrastructure will remain unaddressed for now. Families should be aware that Carmen Anaya, like other schools in the district, may operate with aging facilities for the foreseeable future.
Housing in the Pharr area is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. The median home value is well below both the state and national averages, and rental housing is similarly modest in cost, making the community accessible for families on limited budgets.
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