Texas Border Business
Rio Grande Valley, Texas – IDEA Public Schools in the Rio Grande Valley is proud to announce that six of its college preparatory schools have been recognized among the top schools in the region according to the CHILDREN AT RISK 24-25 School rankings.
The annual rankings highlight schools excelling in student achievement, growth, and college readiness, with special emphasis on schools that serve predominantly low-income populations and still achieve strong academic outcomes. New this year, the Gold Ribbon category expanded to include charter and magnet campuses serving student populations of more than 75% economically disadvantaged students while still earning an A or B rating.
“The Rio Grande Valley is where IDEA’s story began,” said Jill Dominguez, Area Superintendent of IDEA Public Schools in the RGV. “It’s an honor that CHILDREN AT RISK recognizes the heart, resilience, and high expectations that drive our mission to support every student, regardless of their background, on their road to and through college.”
| IDEA Public Schools rankings in the Rio Grande Valley include: |
| Best Gold Ribbon Middle Schools in the RGV: |
| #1 – IDEA Riverview College Preparatory |
| #3 – IDEA Quest College Preparatory |
| #8 – IDEA Rio Grande City College Preparatory |
| #9 – IDEA Los Encinos College Preparatory |
| #10 – IDEA North Mission College Preparatory |
| Best Gold Ribbon High Schools in the RGV: |
| #3 – IDEA Quest College Preparatory |
| #4 – IDEA Edinburg College Preparatory |
| #8 – IDEA North Mission College Preparatory |
| Best Middle Schools in the RGV: |
| #3 – IDEA Riverview College Preparatory |
| #9 – IDEA Quest College Preparatory |
| Best High Schools in the RGV: |
| #5 – IDEA Quest College Preparatory |
| #6 – IDEA Edinburg College Preparatory |
For the last 20 years, CHILDREN AT RISK has ranked and graded Texas public schools to help parents, educators, and community members better understand how their local schools are performing. These rankings encourage accountability and transparency in the education system and serve as a starting point for conversations about improving student outcomes.
The 2024-2025 school year analysis reviewed 496 public schools in Rio Grande Valley, including 297 elementary schools and 122 middle schools ranked across three main areas, and 77 high schools ranked across four main areas including:
- Student Achievement
- Student performance on state standardized tests (STAAR)
- Campus Performance
- School comparison in test scores to schools with similar levels of poverty
- Student Growth
- How students improve on their STAAR tests in a school year
- College Readiness (High School only)
- The number of students graduating on time and participating in other college readiness activities.
CHILDREN AT RISK is a research and advocacy nonprofit leading the way to improving the quality of life for Texas’ children. CHILDREN AT RISK considers the whole child by tracking issues in children’s health, safety, education, and economic security to improve equity and justice for all Texas families. Committed to action beyond the data, CHILDREN AT RISK drives evidence-based change by speaking out on behalf of children. For more information on CHILDREN AT RISK and their 24-25 school rankings, please visit www.childrenatrisk.org.
To learn more about IDEA Public Schools in the Rio Grande Valley please visit: https://ideapublicschools.org/regions/rio-grande-valley/. If you would like to request an interview with IDEA RGV leadership, please contact Rebecca at rebecca.suarez@ideapublicschools.org.
