Public schools in Harlingen, TX
33 open public schools with an address in Harlingen, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
33
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
17,934
33 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.8:1
Texas median 14.5:1
Charter schools
4
0 virtual
An overview of Harlingen public schools
The federal directory lists 33 public schools in Harlingen, TX: 20 elementary, 6 middle, 5 high, 2 combined or other. The 33 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 17,934 students, an average of 543 per school. The largest campus is Harlingen H S (2,433 students), and the largest elementary school is Treasure Hills El (758).
Harlingen CISD operates the most schools here (29), plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.8:1, similar to the statewide school median of 14.5:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 4 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 77% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Harlingen
Harlingen CISD
Public school district
29 schools in Harlingen · 30 total
IDEA Public Schools
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Harlingen · 127 total
Horizon Montessori Public Schools
Independent charter agency
1 school in Harlingen · 4 total
Jubilee Academies
Independent charter agency
1 school in Harlingen · 10 total
Elementary schools in Harlingen
20| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 295 | 14:1 | |
| Ben Milam El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 389 | 17.1:1 | |
| Bonham El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 504 | 16.7:1 | |
| Bowie El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 335 | 16.2:1 | |
| Crockett El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 234 | 16.5:1 | |
| Dr Hesiquio Rodriguez El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 674 | 17.7:1 | |
| Hcisd Early Childhood Academy Harlingen CISD | PK–KG | 255 | 14.3:1 | |
| Horizon Montessori III - STEM Academy Horizon Montessori Public Schools · Charter | PK–08 | 291 | 15:1 | |
| Houston El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 420 | 14.7:1 | |
| IDEA Harlingen Academy IDEA Public Schools · Charter | KG–05 | 651 | 21:1 | |
| Jefferson El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 259 | 15.1:1 | |
| Jubilee Harlingen Jubilee Academies · Charter | PK–08 | 377 | 17.1:1 | |
| Lamar El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 401 | 14.2:1 | |
| Lee H Means El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 730 | 16.2:1 | |
| Long El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 475 | 14:1 | |
| Stuart Place El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 578 | 16.3:1 | |
| Travis El Harlingen CISD | KG–05 | 294 | 16.9:1 | |
| Treasure Hills El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 758 | 15.4:1 | |
| Wilson El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 373 | 14.9:1 | |
| Zavala El Harlingen CISD | PK–05 | 332 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Harlingen
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Co J J a E P Harlingen CISD · Alternative School | 07–09 | 1 | — | |
| Coakley Middle Harlingen CISD | 06–08 | 687 | 12.5:1 | |
| Gutierrez Middle Harlingen CISD | 06–08 | 747 | 12.4:1 | |
| Memorial Middle Harlingen CISD | 06–08 | 705 | 12.2:1 | |
| Moises Vela Middle Harlingen CISD | 06–08 | 761 | 13.3:1 | |
| Vernon Middle Harlingen CISD | 06–08 | 631 | 10.8:1 |
High schools in Harlingen
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen Collegiate H S Harlingen CISD | 09–12 | 353 | 15.5:1 | |
| Harlingen H S Harlingen CISD | 09–12 | 2,433 | 14.5:1 | |
| Harlingen H S - South Harlingen CISD | 09–12 | 2,019 | 14.1:1 | |
| Harlingen School of Health Professions Harlingen CISD | 08–12 | 448 | 12.5:1 | |
| Secondary Alter Ctr Harlingen CISD · Alternative School | 06–12 | 59 | 11.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Harlingen
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edna Tamayo House Harlingen CISD · Alternative School | 09–11 | 8 | 4.2:1 | |
| IDEA Harlingen College Preparatory IDEA Public Schools · Charter | 06–11 | 457 | 13.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White4.4%
- Hispanic94.4%
- Black0.4%
- Asian0.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial0.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 33 Harlingen schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (17,934 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Harlingen
How many public schools are in Harlingen, TX?
The current NCES directory lists 33 open public schools with a location address in Harlingen: 20 elementary, 6 middle, 5 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 17,934 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Harlingen?
Schools with an address in Harlingen belong to 4 education agencies, led by Harlingen CISD (29 schools), IDEA Public Schools (2 schools), Horizon Montessori Public Schools (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Harlingen?
Harlingen H S reported the largest high-school enrollment in Harlingen, with 2,433 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Harlingen?
Yes. 4 of the 33 public schools in Harlingen are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Horizon Montessori III - STEM Academy, IDEA Harlingen Academy, IDEA Harlingen College Preparatory. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Harlingen schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Harlingen public schools is 14.8:1, similar to the Texas school median of 14.5:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Harlingen guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Texas cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Texas cities