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#4685 of 8,552 schools in TX

Russell EL

Elementary School · Brownsville ISD · Brownsville, TX

A Brownsville ISD elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

800 LAKESIDE BLVD, Brownsville, TX 78520

  • Math 40% vs TX 44% (2024)
  • Reading 42% vs TX 54% (2024)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.76 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.8Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency40% (2024 STAAR)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42% (2024 STAAR)
Math vs. State Avg-3.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-12.3 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2024 STAAR, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 STAAR)
vs. Expected+7.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile53th
Resources & Environment5.5Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$14,041
Chronic Absenteeism29.7%

Students at Russell EL score 41% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 STAAR proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. TX average.

Math Proficiency40%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
44%(2024 STAAR)
ELA Proficiency42%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
54%(2024 STAAR)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 23 points since 2020, reaching 41% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
81%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
84%
2012
Math
71%
ELA
73%
2013
Math
70%
ELA
72%
2014
Math
70%
ELA
70%
2015
Math
75%
ELA
72%
2016
Math
75%
ELA
70%
2017
Math
51%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
43%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
43%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
46%
2024
Math
40%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from TX state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

97.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Russell EL sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 73Very Walkable
  • Bike 55Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,404/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Brownsville), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$47,331

Median home value

$129,200

Median rent

$842/mo

College educated

22.7%

Homeownership

58.5%

Poverty rate

25.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 78520; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK0.2 mi3Compare →
Brownsville Montessori AcademyPrivate · tuition7.1privatePK–40.3 mi36Compare →
Harmony Science Academy - BrownsvilleCharter · enrollment unverified3.2PK–70.3 mi512Compare →
Episcopal Day SchoolPrivate · tuition7.0privateK–60.5 mi184Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Brownsville ISD

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#38 of 51
District spending per student
$14,041NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
34.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Russell EL is listed in BROWNSVILLE ISD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Russell EL

Russell EL is a public elementary school in Brownsville, TX, part of Brownsville ISD, serving approximately 478 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 out of 10 and ranks #4,685 of 8,552 schools in TX. State assessment records show 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Russell EL

What grades does Russell EL serve?

Russell EL serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Russell EL?

Russell EL has an enrollment of approximately 478 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Russell EL?

The student-teacher ratio at Russell EL is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Russell EL rank in TX?

Russell EL ranks #4,685 of 8,552 schools in TX.

What is Russell EL's MySchoolScout rating?

Russell EL has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Russell EL?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Russell EL has 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Russell EL a charter school?

No, Russell EL is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Russell EL a Title I school?

No, Russell EL is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Russell EL?

97.7% of students at Russell EL qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
478
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Cameron County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.7%
Area population (ZIP 78520)
63,337
Area average commute
21.5 min
Area median age
31.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 78520; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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