Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District

Last updated
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District
Address
601 E. Kelly
Pharr
, Texas , 78577
United States
District information
TypePublic
Grades Pre-K–12
Established1919;105 years ago (1919)
PresidentJorge Zambrano
SuperintendentDr. Alejandro Elias
Schools
  • Pre-K/Elementary: 27
  • Middle: 8
  • High: 6
  • Special purpose: 3
NCES District ID 4834860 [1]
District IDTX-108909
Students and staff
Students32,682 (2018–19) [1]
Teachers2,148.32 (FTE) (2018–19) [1]
Student–teacher ratio15.21:1 (2018–19) [1]
Other information
Website www.psjaisd.us

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District is a public school district based in Pharr, Texas (U.S.) in the Rio Grande Valley.

Contents

The district serves Pharr, San Juan, and Alamo as well as a small portion of McAllen. PSJA ISD's total student enrollment for 2010 was 31,329 according to the Texas Education Agency's website. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency. [2] PSJA ISD's current superintendent is Dr. Jorge Arredondo.

In 2018, Carman Elementary in San Juan and Chavez Elementary in Pharr were named National Education Association Blue Ribbon Schools. [3]

History

On March 15, 1919, Common School District No. 4 in Hidalgo County became Pharr-San Juan Independent School District. Forty years later in 1959, Alamo merged with the district, establishing what is now known as the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, a district that caters to over 31,000 students in the tri-city area.

PBS NewsHour showcased PSJA ISD nationally in a two-part series featuring the district's dropout recovery program success and early college high school work (July 2012). [4]

On June 6, 2007, The Dallas Morning News reported that Arturo Guajardo, the superintendent of PSJA ISD, and board members Raul Navarro, Evangelina De Leon, and Rogelio Rodriguez, were indicted on corruption charges. [5] On January 24, 2011, former PSJA superintendent Arturo Guajardo and board members Rogelio "Little Roy" Rodriguez, Rogelio "Big Roy" Navarro, and Evangelina "Vangie" De Leon pled guilty and were sentenced to probation, fines, and prison terms. Also, Arnulfo "Arnie" Olivarez (former insurance agent) and George Hernandez (former Donna ISD board president) pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation, fines, and prison term for their role in the bribery and extortion scandal involving PSJA ISD's finances. [6]

Service area

The district serves portions of the cities of Pharr, San Juan, Alamo, and McAllen, [7] [8] as well as the census-designated place (CDP) of North Alamo, [9] and a portion of the Lopezville CDP. [10]

Student Information

In 2010 the district had 32,000 students, [11] and in 2012 8,000 of them were attending senior high school. [12]

As of 2012 the student body at PSJA ISD was 99% Hispanic, and 41% of the students were classified as English as a second language students; [12] with Spanish being the language spoken at home.[ citation needed ]

TEA Academic Status

For the 2009–2010 school year the Texas Education Agency designated 11 PSJA campuses with an "Exemplary" status and 19 as "Recognized," and the district was also designated as a "Recognized" School District. [13]

PSJA ISD believes all children can learn and within that motto it is focused on performance by having highly qualified teaching staff, effective research-based curriculum, plus state-of-the art technology to meet all instructional needs.

Curriculum

By 2012 PSJA ISD began using an early college model to encourage university admission among first-time, low income, Hispanic and English as a second language students. [12] It is a model derived from that of the Hidalgo Independent School District; Superintendent Daniel P. King spearheaded this effort. [11] After the initiative started, PSJAISD had an increase in its university matriculation rates, and in a three-year span, the four year graduation rate from the high schools increased to 87% as of 2012 from 62%. By 2012 about 2,000 students, making up 25% of all PSJAISD high school students, took university-level courses. [12]

PSJA has been identified[ who? ] as a national model for putting dropouts “Back on Track to College” by Jobs for the Future (JFF) out of Boston, MA. JFF is working to expand key components of the model to other states across the country. They also released a report in March 2012 featuring PSJA's College3 initiative and “College for All” strategy. [14]

PSJA ISD has increased the number of yearly graduates by almost 100% from 966 in 2006–07 to over 1,900 in 2011–2012.[ citation needed ]

Schools

High Schools (Grades 9-12)

Middle Schools (Grades 6-8)

Elementary Schools (Grades PK-5)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alamo, Texas</span> City in Texas

Alamo, located in the Rio Grande Valley in what is nicknamed the "Land of Two Summers", is a city in the irrigated area of southern Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Known as the "Refuge to the Valley", it is located in an area of abundant vegetable farming and citrus groves, and is a noted winter resort/retirement town near the Mexico–U.S. border. Alamo is one of the Rio Grande Valley's gateways to Mexico, via U.S. Route 281 and Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, as well as a gateway to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Alamo's population was 18,353 at the 2010 census and an estimated 19,910 in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lopezville, Texas</span> Census-designated place in Texas

Lopezville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hidalgo County, Texas. The population was 4,333 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town developed during the early 1960s as a trailer park. It is named for Francisco Solano López, a former president of Paraguay, a descendant of whom founded his namesake trailer park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Alamo, Texas</span> Census-designated place in Texas, United States

North Alamo is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hidalgo County, Texas. The population was 3,235 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murillo, Texas</span> Census-designated place in Texas

Murillo, previously recorded as Nurillo, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,344 at the 2010 census, up from 5,056 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharr, Texas</span> City in Texas

Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 79,715, and in 2022, the estimated population was 80,187. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Juan, Texas</span> City in Texas

San Juan is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 35,294, up from 33,856 in 2010. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galveston Independent School District</span> School district in Texas, United States

Galveston Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Galveston, Texas, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crosby Independent School District</span> School district in Texas, United States

Crosby Independent School District is a public school district based in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Crosby ISD serves the communities of Barrett and Crosby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastrop Independent School District</span> School district in Texas

Bastrop Independent School District is a public school district in Bastrop, Texas, United States. The district serves the communities of Bastrop, Camp Swift, Cedar Creek, Circle D-KC Estates, Paige, Red Rock, Rockne, Wyldwood, and other rural areas of Bastrop County.

The Hidalgo Independent School District is a public school district based in Hidalgo, Texas, United States. The district serves most of Hidalgo and the city of Granjeno as well as small portions of McAllen, Pharr, and San Juan. It southern boundary is the Rio Grande along the U.S.-Mexico border. It serves many colonias.

Donna Independent School District is a public school district based in Donna, Texas (USA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Independent School District</span> School district in Texas, United States

Clint Independent School District is a public school district in eastern El Paso County, Texas (US).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School</span> Public school in San Juan, Texas, United States

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Early College High School is a public school in San Juan, Texas. It is part of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and is one of the district's six high schools. It educates over 2,500 students.

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Memorial Early College High School is a public high school in Alamo, Texas (U.S.). It is part of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and is one of the district's six high schools.

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North Early College High School is a public school in Pharr, Texas. It is part of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and is one of the district's six high schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IDEA Public Schools</span> Charter School Public Schools

IDEA Public Schools, Inc is a not‐for‐profit charter school operator based in Weslaco, Texas. It was formed in June 2000. In 2015 it served about 19,000 students in 36 schools, about 85% of whom were economically disadvantaged.

Hidalgo Early College High School (HECHS), formerly Hidalgo High School, is a public high school in Hidalgo, Texas. It is the only high school in the Hidalgo Independent School District. As of 2007, the school had 810 students. The school was the recipient of a $1.2 million grant that allows students to earn high school and college credits concurrently.

Thomas Jefferson T-STEM is a 4-year public early college high school located in Pharr, Texas. It is one of the six high schools located in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District. The school focuses on preparing students for university academics and a career in the STEM fields. Partnered with South Texas College, enrolled students have the opportunity to earn college credit towards an associate degree in various subjects.

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Southwest High School is a public school in Pharr, Texas. It is part of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and is one of the district's six high schools.

Las Milpas is a community in the City of Pharr, in central Hidalgo County, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. It was previously an unincorporated area. Las Milpas, a colonia, is located off of U.S. Highway 281, 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the city center of Pharr, and between McAllen and the United States-Mexico border.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Pharr-san Juan-alamo Isd". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  2. ↑ "2009 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
  3. ↑ "National Blue Ribbon Schools Program: 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools" (PDF). United States Department of Education. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  4. ↑ "LearningMatters - YouTube".
  5. ↑ "School officials accused of corruption". Associated Press at The Dallas Morning News. 2007-06-06. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2017-01-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ Taylor, Jared (2011-01-25). "Former PSJA school district officials sentenced in votes-for-bribes case". The Monitor . Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  7. ↑ "PSJA High School Zones Archived 2017-01-03 at the Wayback Machine ." Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District. 2015. Retrieved on January 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Hidalgo County, TX." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 2, 2017.
  9. ↑ North Alamo Census Bureau map. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 3, 2017.
  10. ↑ Lopezville Census Bureau map. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 2, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Hamilton, Reeve (2010-12-24). "Students in Poor Counties Get Creative Opportunities". The New York Times . Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Adams, Caralee J. (2012-06-07). "For Many Latino Students, College Seems Out of Reach". Education Week . Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  13. ↑ http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/cgi/sas/broker?_service=marykay&_program=perfrept.perfmast.sas&prgopt=2010/acct/disttabl2.sas&ptype=H&year4=2010&search=distback&year2=10&topic=acct&gifname=g_datatable2010district&title=Accountability%20Data%20Table&level=District&distback=108909%5B%5D
  14. ↑ "One Texas School District's Vision for all Students: "College: Ready, Connected, Complete" | Jobs for the Future". Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.