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5.5 avg / 10

Best Schools in San Benito, Texas

27 schools · 12 Elementary · 5 Middle · 6 High · 4 Other

Public: 27
Districts: 5
Avg Rating: 5.5/10
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in San Benito?

Use this page to compare every school in San Benito 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.

South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy

9.1/10

Middle · South Texas ISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Raul Garza JR Steam Academy

7.9/10

Elementary · San Benito CISD. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Idea College Preparatory San Benito

7.8/10

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

The short answer

The top-rated schools in San Benito for 2026 are South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy (9.1/10), Raul Garza JR Steam Academy (7.9/10), and Idea College Preparatory San Benito (7.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 23 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

27

in this city

Avg Score

5.5

out of 10

Median Home

$83,200

home value · ACS

Districts

5

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
La Encantada EL

Rates 7.1/10 despite 94% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.3 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 San Benito schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Angela Gerusa Leal EL

STAAR proficiency rose +11.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among San Benito schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in San Benito

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (23 of 27). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy 9.1 / 10
2 Raul Garza JR Steam Academy 7.9 / 10
3 Idea College Preparatory San Benito 7.8 / 10
4 Idea Academy San Benito 7.1 / 10
5 Cash EL 7.1 / 10
6 La Encantada EL 7.1 / 10
7 Hester Juvenile Detent 6.9 / 10
8 Downs Fine Arts Academy 6.7 / 10
9 Rangerville EL 6.4 / 10
10 Triumph Public High Schools-san Benito 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
5.5/10

26% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$44,158

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$83,200

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
12%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
21 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
77%

Of occupied housing units

How San Benito compares

Texas rank

#527 of 654

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.7

below Texas avg (6.3)

Median household income

$44k

59% of Texas median

Schools in this city

23

About Schools in San Benito, Texas

San Benito, Texas has 23 ranked public schools, with an average score of 4.8 out of 10. That average places the city in a challenging position by national standards, and the composition of top schools confirms the constraint: only 2 schools — 9% of ranked campuses — score 7 or higher. Parents researching here are navigating a market where high performers are the exception, not the rule.

IDEA College Preparatory San Benito leads the city at 7.5 out of 10 and is the standout high school option for academically focused families. It is one of only two campuses to clear the 7-point mark across all 23 ranked schools. South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy offers the strongest middle school alternative at 6.7. Triumph Public High Schools-San Benito rounds out the high school tier at 6.3. The city also hosts specialized alternative campuses — including programs serving students in the juvenile justice system — that account for part of the upper tier of the rankings and reflect the full range of educational needs San Benito addresses.

The gap between top and typical is the most important number here. A leading score of 7.5 against a city average of 4.8 means strong options exist, but they require deliberate pursuit. Families should research enrollment requirements and school-specific intake processes before settling on a neighborhood — proximity alone may not guarantee access to San Benito's higher-performing campuses.

For parents comparing San Benito against other Rio Grande Valley cities, the 9% rate of schools scoring 7 or above is the sharpest signal. With a 4.8 city average and just 2 campuses clearing that threshold, the gap between San Benito's top options and its typical school is meaningful. The best schools here are reachable with focused research — but this is a city where active school selection carries a higher-than-average impact on outcomes.

Filter by ZIP: 78586 (27)

Elementary Schools

12 schools
# School Rating
1 425 students · Pre-K–5th 7.9
2 693 students · Kindergarten–5th 7.1
3 630 students · Pre-K–5th 7.1
4 482 students · Pre-K–5th 7.1
5 356 students · Pre-K–5th 6.7
6 197 students · Pre-K–5th 6.4
7 356 students · Pre-K–5th 5.9
8 482 students · Pre-K–5th 5.6
9 236 students · Pre-K–5th 5.3
10 386 students · Pre-K–5th 4.0
Show all 12 elementary schools in San Benito

Middle Schools

5 schools
# School Rating
1 682 students · 6th–8th 9.1
2 34 students · 5th–11th 6.9
3 498 students · 6th–8th 5.6
4 590 students · 6th–8th 4.1
5 741 students · 6th–8th 3.7

High Schools

6 schools
# School Rating
1 782 students · 6th–12th 7.8
2 107 students · 9th–12th 6.0
3 1,944 students · 10th–12th 3.9
4 51 students · 7th–12th 3.5
5 64 students · 9th–12th 3.2
6 25 students · 7th–12th

Other Schools

4 schools
# School Rating
1 690 students · 9th–9th 4.5
2 10 students · 9th–10th
3 14 students · 8th–11th
4 100 students · Kindergarten–9th

Schools in San Benito

San Benito, Texas · 27 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$44,158

Median Home Value

$83,200

Median Rent

$839/mo

Population

49,103

College Educated

12%

Homeownership

77%

Avg Commute

21 min

Poverty Rate

26.8%

Community Profile

San Benito has a median household income of $44,158. It is a community where 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $83,200, with a median rent of $839/month. The area has a poverty rate of 26.8%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 21 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in San Benito, Texas

How many schools are in San Benito, Texas?

San Benito has 27 schools, including 27 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in San Benito, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in San Benito is 5.5 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 San Benito, Texas?

The top-ranked school in San Benito on MySchoolScout is South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy with a composite score of 9.1/10.

What is the best elementary school in San Benito, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in San Benito on MySchoolScout is Raul Garza JR Steam Academy with a composite score of 7.9/10.

What is the best middle school in San Benito, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in San Benito on MySchoolScout is South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy with a composite score of 9.1/10.

What is the best high school in San Benito, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in San Benito on MySchoolScout is Idea College Preparatory San Benito with a composite score of 7.8/10.

How many school districts serve San Benito, Texas?

San Benito is served by 5 school districts: Triumph Public High Schools-rio Grande Valley, Idea Public Schools, Brownsville ISD, South Texas ISD, San Benito CISD.

What is the education level in San Benito, Texas?

According to Census data, 12% of adults in San Benito have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in San Benito, Texas?

The median household income in San Benito is approximately $44,158 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

What is the student-teacher ratio in San Benito, Texas?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in San Benito is 15.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in San Benito, 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.