Berta S Palacios El, Pharr TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Berta S Palacios El

Berta S Palacios Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Pharr, a city in Hidalgo County along the Texas-Mexico border. The school enrolls a small, tightly-knit student body that is almost entirely Hispanic, with virtually all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The demographics and economic profile reflect a working-class community with limited household wealth; median home values in the area are considerably below both the state and national average, and rental affordability is similarly tight relative to local income.

The school's academic performance shows moderate proficiency across tested grades. In math, proficiency rates range from about half of third graders meeting grade-level standards to roughly two-thirds of fourth graders. English language arts results are somewhat stronger overall, with proficiency around two-thirds in third grade and comparable rates in fourth grade; fifth-grade performance in language arts is slightly lower. Science proficiency in fifth grade falls below the math and ELA results. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school's overall proficiency rate places it in the top quartile among Hidalgo County districts—a meaningful strength relative to its peer set in the county.

Social studies proficiency is notably softer, with only a modest portion of students meeting grade-level standards schoolwide. When broken into performance tiers, the data show that a broad majority of students are approaching or meeting proficiency, but fewer advance to mastery across subjects. This pattern—many students at or near grade-level standards, fewer demonstrating deep mastery—is typical in schools serving high-poverty populations and may point to an opportunity for instructional focus on moving proficient students toward advanced performance.

The school is part of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, which serves three municipalities in the region. The district has made early college access a defining feature across all its high schools, allowing students to begin college coursework as ninth graders and graduate with an associate degree or significant college credit hours at no cost to families. This model addresses a real cost barrier for working families in the region, though its direct impact on elementary outcomes depends on how well the pathway is communicated and prepared for well in advance.

The district faced a setback in November 2025 when voters rejected bond propositions for facility improvements, leaving unaddressed needs in HVAC systems, roofing, parking, and campus infrastructure. For families considering this school, the condition of facilities and the timeline for potential upgrades may merit direct inquiry with the school.

State testing data for grades three through five show which students participated in which assessments; notably, some grades show testing in Spanish and some in English, reflecting the school's bilingual population and program design. Participation rates were not reported in the available data, so a parent may want to confirm with the school how assessment language is assigned.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 21% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 462%

School 62% · District 33% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 26% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 363%

School 63% · District 31% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 463%

School 63% · District 56% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 55% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 13% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

This schoolPHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.