Best Schools in Pharr, Texas
37 schools · 21 Elementary · 5 Middle · 7 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in Pharr?
Use this page to compare every school in Pharr by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Psja Thomas Jefferson T-stem Early College H S
High · Pharr-san Juan-alamo ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Valley View South EL
Elementary · Valley View ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Vanguard Van Gogh
Elementary · Vanguard Academy. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Pharr for 2026 are Psja Thomas Jefferson T-stem Early College H S (9.5/10), Valley View South EL (8.8/10), and Vanguard Van Gogh (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 34 rated schools. 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 with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
37
36 public · 1 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$111,500
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Schools
37
36 public · 1 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$111,500
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Rates 9.5/10 despite 99% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 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 Pharr schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +13.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Pharr schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Pharr
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (34 of 37). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psja Thomas Jefferson T-stem Early College H S | 9.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Valley View South EL | 8.8 / 10 |
| 3 | Vanguard Van Gogh | 8.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Carmen Anaya EL | 8.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Kennedy Middle | 8.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Psja North Early College H S | 8.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Psja Southwest Early College H S | 8.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Jaime Escalante Middle | 8.3 / 10 |
| 9 | Liberty Middle | 8.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Elvis J Ballew H S | 8.1 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.1/10
- Median household income
- $49,768
- Median home value
- $111,500
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 18%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 59%
59% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Pharr compares
Texas rank
#183 of 654
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.9
above Texas avg (6.3)
Median household income
$50k
67% of Texas median
Schools in this city
37
About Schools in Pharr, Texas
Pharr sits in the Rio Grande Valley with 36 ranked public schools and an average score of 4.9 out of 10 — a landscape that spans meaningful extremes. Five schools, or 14% of the district, score 7 or above, giving families real options at the top end even as the majority of campuses cluster below the midpoint. Parents doing serious comparison work should treat that top tier as a distinct group and plan school choice accordingly.
The standout is PSJA Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School, the city's highest-rated school at 8.9 out of 10. It combines a STEM-focused curriculum with early college access, a combination that gives students college credits alongside a career-technical track. Elvis J. Ballew High School follows at 8.7, keeping two strong high school options at the top of the ladder. PSJA North Early College High School rounds out the ranked high schools at 7.5, again with the early college model — suggesting that Pharr's highest-performing campuses have deliberately organized around dual-enrollment pathways. For families prioritizing college readiness at the secondary level, the PSJA network has concentrated its strongest resources at these campuses.
Elementary and middle options are narrower. Valley View South Elementary leads that tier at 8.5 out of 10, with Liberty Middle at 7.3. Below those two, the options thin out quickly — the city average of 4.9 signals that most of the 36 campuses score in the 3-to-6 range. Parents should not assume proximity equals quality at the lower grades; the gap between the top elementary and the median campus is substantial.
Practically, families in Pharr should investigate PSJA district school choice policies early, since the high-performing campuses — especially the T-STEM and early college schools — typically have enrollment processes and deadlines that differ from zoned assignment. If a student is in the upper-elementary or middle grades and tracking toward those high schools, the path starts with knowing what feeder patterns and application windows look like well before ninth grade.
Elementary Schools
21 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 368 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.8 |
| 2 | 959 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.6 |
| 3 | 426 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 |
| 4 | 418 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 5 | 426 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.1 |
| 6 | 368 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.0 |
| 7 | 715 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 |
| 8 | 495 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 |
| 9 | 708 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.7 |
| 10 | 641 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.4 |
Show all 21 elementary schools in Pharr
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 576 students · 6th–8th | 8.6 |
| 2 | 535 students · 6th–8th | 8.3 |
| 3 | 795 students · 6th–8th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 971 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 |
| 5 | 483 students · 7th–8th | 7.5 |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 524 students · 9th–12th | 9.5 |
| 2 | 2,229 students · 9th–12th | 8.3 |
| 3 | 1,597 students · 9th–12th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 136 students · 9th–12th | 8.1 |
| 5 | 863 students · 6th–12th | 6.6 |
| 6 | 1,320 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 7 | 92 students · 6th–12th | 5.4 |
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,965 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.7 |
| 2 | 636 students · 6th–11th | 6.1 |
| 3 | 1,209 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.9 |
| 4 | 508 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.2 |
Schools in Pharr
Pharr, Texas · 37 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$49,768
Median Home Value
$111,500
Median Rent
$988/mo
Population
79,903
College Educated
18%
Homeownership
59%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
29.9%
Community Profile
Pharr has a median household income of $49,768. It is a community where 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $111,500, with a median rent of $988/month. The area has a poverty rate of 29.9%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Texas
- Elementary
- 21
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 7
- Other
- 4
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Texas
Top metros statewide by school count.
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 rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Pharr, Texas
How many schools are in Pharr, Texas?
Pharr has 37 schools, including 36 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Pharr, Texas?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Pharr is 7.1 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 Pharr, Texas?
The top-ranked school in Pharr on MySchoolScout is Psja Thomas Jefferson T-stem Early College H S with a composite score of 9.5/10.
What is the best elementary school in Pharr, Texas?
The top-ranked elementary school in Pharr on MySchoolScout is Valley View South EL with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Pharr, Texas?
The top-ranked middle school in Pharr on MySchoolScout is Kennedy Middle with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best high school in Pharr, Texas?
The top-ranked high school in Pharr on MySchoolScout is Psja Thomas Jefferson T-stem Early College H S with a composite score of 9.5/10.
How many school districts serve Pharr, Texas?
Pharr is served by 4 school districts: Vanguard Academy, Idea Public Schools, Pharr-san Juan-alamo ISD, Valley View ISD.
What is the education level in Pharr, Texas?
According to Census data, 18% of adults in Pharr have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Pharr, Texas?
The median household income in Pharr is approximately $49,768 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Pharr, Texas?
Yes, Pharr has 1 private school alongside 36 public schools. The top-rated private school is The Pharr Oratory of St Philip Neri School System with a score of 6.3/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Pharr, Texas?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Pharr is 15.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Pharr, Texas?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives 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.
Related reading
- Best Public Schools in Texas 2026: Top-Ranked Elementary, Middle & High Schoolsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best Schools in Austin, TX — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in Dallas, TX — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in Fort Worth, TX — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Texas Education Agency, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.