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6.3 avg / 10

Best Schools in Rio Grande City, Texas

17 schools · 10 Elementary · 3 Middle · 4 High

Public: 17
Districts: 2
Avg Rating: 6.3/10
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Rio Grande City?

Use this page to compare every school in Rio Grande City 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.

Preparatory for Early College H S

9.3/10

High · Rio Grande City Grulla ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Idea Rio Grande City Academy

7.7/10

Elementary · Idea Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Grulla EL

7.6/10

Elementary · Rio Grande City Grulla ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Rio Grande City for 2026 are Preparatory for Early College H S (9.3/10), Idea Rio Grande City Academy (7.7/10), and Grulla EL (7.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 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

17

in this city

Avg Score

6.3

out of 10

Median Home

$102,000

home value · ACS

Districts

2

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Preparatory for Early College H S

Rates 9.3/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.1 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 Rio Grande City schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
General Ricardo Sanchez EL

STAAR proficiency rose +22.4 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Rio Grande City schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Rio Grande City

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (17 of 17). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Preparatory for Early College H S 9.3 / 10
2 Idea Rio Grande City Academy 7.7 / 10
3 Grulla EL 7.6 / 10
4 General Ricardo Sanchez EL 7.3 / 10
5 Idea Rio Grande City College Preparatory 6.8 / 10
6 Grulla H S 6.6 / 10
7 Rio Grande City H S 6.5 / 10
8 Alto Bonito EL 6.5 / 10
9 Dr Mario E Ramirez EL 6.3 / 10
10 La Union EL 6.0 / 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
6.3/10

24% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$41,452

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$102,000

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
13%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
23 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
74%

Of occupied housing units

How Rio Grande City compares

Texas rank

#362 of 654

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.0

above Texas avg (6.3)

Median household income

$41k

56% of Texas median

Schools in this city

17

About Schools in Rio Grande City, Texas

Rio Grande City, Texas is home to 17 schools, including 17 public schools. The city's schools span 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 4 high schools.

With an average rating of 6.3 out of 10, schools in Rio Grande City show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Rio Grande City is Preparatory for Early College H S with a composite score of 9.3/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Rio Grande City is served by 2 school districts: IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, RIO GRANDE CITY GRULLA ISD. These districts collectively serve 86,301 students.

Rio Grande City's community shows 13% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $41,452. The poverty rate in the area is 32.4%.

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 ZIP: 78582 (17)

Elementary Schools

10 schools
# School Rating
1 733 students · Kindergarten–5th 7.7
2 440 students · Pre-K–5th 7.6
3 733 students · Pre-K–5th 7.3
4 584 students · Pre-K–5th 6.5
5 481 students · Pre-K–5th 6.3
6 346 students · Pre-K–5th 6.0
7 435 students · Pre-K–5th 5.4
8 474 students · Pre-K–5th 5.3
9 626 students · Pre-K–5th 4.9
10 467 students · Pre-K–5th 4.1

Middle Schools

3 schools
# School Rating
1 795 students · 6th–8th 6.0
2 609 students · 6th–8th 5.8
3 635 students · 6th–8th 5.1

High Schools

4 schools
# School Rating
1 413 students · 9th–12th 9.3
2 661 students · 6th–12th 6.8
3 770 students · 9th–12th 6.6
4 1,674 students · 9th–12th 6.5

Schools in Rio Grande City

Rio Grande City, Texas · 17 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$41,452

Median Home Value

$102,000

Median Rent

$738/mo

Population

44,883

College Educated

13%

Homeownership

74%

Avg Commute

23 min

Poverty Rate

32.4%

Community Profile

Rio Grande City has a median household income of $41,452. It is a community where 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $102,000, with a median rent of $738/month. The area has a poverty rate of 32.4%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Rio Grande City, Texas

How many schools are in Rio Grande City, Texas?

Rio Grande City has 17 schools, including 17 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Rio Grande City is 6.3 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 Rio Grande City, Texas?

The top-ranked school in Rio Grande City on MySchoolScout is Preparatory for Early College H S with a composite score of 9.3/10.

What is the best elementary school in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Rio Grande City on MySchoolScout is Idea Rio Grande City Academy with a composite score of 7.7/10.

What is the best middle school in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in Rio Grande City on MySchoolScout is Veterans Middle with a composite score of 6.0/10.

What is the best high school in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in Rio Grande City on MySchoolScout is Preparatory for Early College H S with a composite score of 9.3/10.

How many school districts serve Rio Grande City, Texas?

Rio Grande City is served by 2 school districts: Idea Public Schools, Rio Grande City Grulla ISD.

What is the education level in Rio Grande City, Texas?

According to Census data, 13% of adults in Rio Grande City have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The median household income in Rio Grande City is approximately $41,452 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Rio Grande City, Texas?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Rio Grande City is 14.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Rio Grande City, 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.

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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.