Schools in Santa Maria ISD · Cameron County

Twenty-four of Cameron County's 152 ranked public schools place in the top quartile statewide — a meaningful showing for a predominantly Spanish-speaking border region where many districts serve high proportions of economically disadvantaged students. South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy and Harlingen School of Health Professions both rank at the 97th percentile statewide, with Brownsville Early College High School close behind at the 95th. Spread across 17 districts anchored by Brownsville, Harlingen, and San Benito, the county rewards families who dig past district boundaries — specialized and early college programs here genuinely compete with schools anywhere in Texas.