Inside PSJA ISD
Vision
Every PSJA student is prepared to participate, compete, and excel in a global society to foster multi-generational prosperity.
Mission
As educational leaders, the PSJA team is engaged and empowered to connect all students with innovative instruction, outstanding facilities, technology, skills, and social-emotional support while prioritizing health and safety for all – from early childhood through their chosen career.
As one PSJA family, we build on our legacy of academic excellence, renowned college and career readiness, biliteracy and extracurricular programs, and our multicultural heritage to ensure every student has the experiences and resources necessary to achieve the highest levels of success.
Inside PSJA ISD
As a tri-city public school district offering a pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade curriculum, PSJA caters to a 32,000-student body and is focused on preparing every student to participate, compete, and excel in a global society to foster multi-generational prosperity.The school district is located along the border with Mexico and is the second largest in Hidalgo County. Close to 99% of the student body is Hispanic, 93% Economically Disadvantaged and 41% Limited English Proficient. Despite the area demographics, PSJA ISD has rapidly become a state and national leader in creating more academic opportunities for all students.
As educational leaders, the PSJA team is engaged and empowered to connect all students with innovative instruction, outstanding facilities, technology, skills, and social-emotional support while prioritizing health and safety for all – from early childhood through their chosen career. As one PSJA family, we build on our legacy of academic excellence, renowned college and career readiness, biliteracy and extracurricular programs, and our multicultural heritage to ensure every student has the experiences and resources necessary to achieve the highest levels of success.
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.
PSJA ISD houses students from three different cities, who come from similar backgrounds and way of life. The student body at PSJA ISD is 98.97% Hispanic, 85.37% economically disadvantaged and 73.16% at risk. With the district’s proximity to Mexico, 41.36% of the students are considered Limited English Proficient (LEP) with Spanish being the language spoken at home.
Despite those figures, PSJA ISD has maintained a culture of pride and excellence. Known for its “children first” environment it has actively taken those challenges and has helped motivate students to pursue an education beyond high school.
For the 2018-19 school year, 12 PSJA campuses earned "A" ratings from the Texas Education Agency. In addition, seven schools earned All-Performance Distinction Designations for ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies (Middle Schools Only), Academic Growth, Closing the Gaps and Postsecondary Readiness.
PSJA's Carmen Anaya Elementary and Cesar Chavez Elementary, both located in the South Pharr, Las Milpas area, were designated National Blue Ribbon Schools in 2018. Since the inception of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program's, PSJA ISD has had three other schools receive these honors. In the 1987-88 school year Raul Longoria Elementary was awarded the Blue Ribbon School designation. In the 1998-99 school year, Napper Elementary received this honor and in 2009 James Bowie Elementary, now McKeever Elementary was awarded.
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.