7.4public avg / 10

Best Schools in Harlingen, Texas

39 schools in the directory · 24 Elementary · 6 Middle · 7 High · 2 Other

Last updated: October 2026

Public: 34

Private: 5

Districts: 3

Comparable public avg (31): 7.4/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Harlingen?

Use this page to compare every school in Harlingen by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Harlingen CISD. Included in the current public-school comparison; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated public schools in Harlingen are Dishman EL (9.0/10), Wilson EL (8.9/10), and Houston EL (8.7/10), among 31 public schools meeting this comparison's coverage rules. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored.

Schools

34 public · 5 private

Avg Score

7.4

31 public schools · out of 10

Districts

serving the city

Schools

34 public · 5 private

Avg Score

7.4

31 public schools · out of 10

Districts

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds

Dishman EL

Rates 9.0/10 despite 95% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Harlingen public schools in the current comparison.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Lamar EL

STAAR proficiency rose +14.6 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Harlingen public schools in the current comparison across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Harlingen

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using public schools that meet the current coverage rules (Top 10 of 31 rated schools; 39 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Dishman EL	9.0 / 10	Elementary	+1.6	98th
2	Wilson EL	8.9 / 10	Elementary	+1.5	97th
3	Houston EL	8.7 / 10	Elementary	+1.3	96th
4	Lee H Means EL	8.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.1	94th
5	Long EL	8.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.1	94th
6	Memorial Middle	8.4 / 10	Middle	+1.0	92th
7	Bonham EL	8.3 / 10	Elementary	+0.9	91th
8	Harlingen Collegiate H S	8.3 / 10	High	+0.9	91th
9	Austin EL	8.2 / 10	Elementary	+0.8	90th
10	Ben Milam EL	8.2 / 10	Elementary	+0.8	90th

See every school in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Schools in Harlingen, Texas

Harlingen, Texas is home to 39 schools, including 34 public schools and 5 private schools. The city's schools span 24 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 7 high schools.

The 31 public schools in this comparison average 7.4 out of 10 on the MySchoolScout composite scale. The composite blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-scoring public school in this comparison is Dishman EL with a composite score of 9.0/10.

Harlingen is served by 3 school districts: HORIZON MONTESSORI PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HARLINGEN CISD. These districts collectively serve 95,023 students.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level:All Levels (39)Elementary (24)Middle (6)High (7)

Filter by Type:All Types (39)Public (34)Private (5)

Filter by Rating:All Ratings (39)Academics (39)Growth (31)Diversity (31)Resources (32)

Filter by ZIP:78550(37)78552(2)

Elementary Schools

24 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Dishman EL 321 students · Pre-K–5th	321	Pre-K–5th	9.0
2	Wilson EL 379 students · Pre-K–5th	379	Pre-K–5th	8.9
3	Houston EL 416 students · Pre-K–5th	416	Pre-K–5th	8.7
4	Long EL 513 students · Pre-K–5th	513	Pre-K–5th	8.5
5	Lee H Means EL 713 students · Pre-K–5th	713	Pre-K–5th	8.5
6	Bonham EL 528 students · Pre-K–5th	528	Pre-K–5th	8.3
7	Austin EL 301 students · Pre-K–5th	301	Pre-K–5th	8.2
8	Ben Milam EL 370 students · Pre-K–5th	370	Pre-K–5th	8.2
9	Jefferson EL 255 students · Pre-K–5th	255	Pre-K–5th	8.1
10	Lamar EL 426 students · Pre-K–5th	426	Pre-K–5th	7.8

Show all 24 elementary schools in Harlingen

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Treasure Hills EL Hcisd Early Childhood Academy Bowie EL Stuart Place EL Dr Hesiquio Rodriguez EL Crockett EL Horizon Montessori III - Stem Academy Travis EL Zavala EL Idea Harlingen Academy St Albans Episcopal Day SchoolPrivate St Anthony Catholic SchoolPrivate Calvary Christian SchoolPrivate Montessori AcademyPrivate

Middle Schools

6 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Memorial Middle 741 students · 6th–8th	741	6th–8th	8.4
2	Moises Vela Middle 744 students · 6th–8th	744	6th–8th	8.2
3	Vernon Middle 696 students · 6th–8th	696	6th–8th	8.0
4	Gutierrez Middle 806 students · 6th–8th	806	6th–8th	7.9
5	Coakley Middle 717 students · 6th–8th	717	6th–8th	7.4
6	Idea Harlingen College Preparatory 350 students · 6th–9th	350	6th–9th	6.7

High Schools

7 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Harlingen Collegiate H S 360 students · 9th–12th	360	9th–12th	8.3
2	Harlingen School of Health Professions 377 students · 8th–12th	377	8th–12th	7.1
3	Harlingen H S 1,931 students · 9th–12th	1,931	9th–12th	6.3
4	Harlingen H S - South 1,600 students · 9th–12th	1,600	9th–12th	6.3
5	Secondary Alter Ctr 88 students · 6th–12th	88	6th–12th	5.2
6	Cameron Co J J a E P 2 students · 9th–12th	2	9th–12th	—
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Marine Military AcademyPrivate 240 students · 7th–12th	240	7th–12th	Not Rated

Other Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Dr Abraham P Cano Freshman Academy 1,035 students · 9th–9th	1,035	9th–9th	6.1
2	Edna Tamayo House 10 students · 9th–11th	10	9th–11th	—

Schools in Harlingen

Harlingen, Texas · 39 schools

Schools by Level

State: Texas
Elementary: 24
Middle: 6
High: 7
Other: 2

Resources

🔍Google "Harlingen schools"🏫GreatSchools Harlingen 📊Niche Harlingen Rankings 📍Google Maps: Schools 🗺️Texas state profile 🗺️All states

School Districts (3)

HORIZON MONTESSORI PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4 schools · 1,424 students

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

123 schools · 76,819 students

HARLINGEN CISD

31 schools · 16,780 students

Other Major Cities in Texas

Top metros statewide by school count.

Houston931 schools San Antonio623 schools Dallas488 schools Austin341 schools Fort Worth290 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Harlingen, Texas

How many schools are in Harlingen, Texas?

Harlingen has 39 schools, including 34 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Harlingen, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for 31 public schools meeting this comparison's coverage rules in Harlingen is 7.4 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Harlingen, Texas?

The top-ranked school in Harlingen on MySchoolScout is Dishman EL with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best elementary school in Harlingen, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Harlingen on MySchoolScout is Dishman EL with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best middle school in Harlingen, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in Harlingen on MySchoolScout is Memorial Middle with a composite score of 8.4/10.

What is the best high school in Harlingen, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in Harlingen on MySchoolScout is Harlingen Collegiate H S with a composite score of 8.3/10.

How many school districts serve Harlingen, Texas?

Harlingen is served by 3 school districts: Horizon Montessori Public Schools, Idea Public Schools, Harlingen CISD.

Are there private schools in Harlingen, Texas?

Yes, Harlingen has 5 private schools alongside 34 public schools. The top-rated private school is Marine Military Academy with a score of 7.9/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Harlingen, Texas?

Among 31 public schools in Harlingen that meet this comparison's coverage rules and report a student-teacher ratio, the average is 14.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Harlingen, Texas?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education sources. Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.