Cantu Elementary ranked No. 1 in MCISD

Out of Mission CISD’s 14 elementary schools, U.S. News & World Report ranked Cantu Elementary as the No. 1 elementary in the district for 2024.

U.S. News is a digital media company that also uses data to compile lists ranking everything from real estate to education to healthcare. Since 1983, U.S. News has published rankings on the best educational institutions to guide parents and students in their decision-making.

When ranking K-8 schools, the organization assesses state test scores in relation to the socioeconomic demographic. U.S. News also specified that rankings within school districts were based entirely on state rank.

“The metrics used to rank which schools are No. 1 in our district, it’s also on if you’re succeeding in educating all students — and all means all,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Cris Valdez said. “The ranking indicators feature math and reading proficiency, math and reading performance, particularly with the socioeconomic demographics of our economically disadvantaged students. So based on those metrics, Cantu Elementary is No. 1 in serving all students.”

According to the data, 22% of students at Cantu scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 32% scored at or above that level for reading. Out of the 4,393 other elementary schools in Texas, Cantu tied for place 2,498 for reading proficiency and tied for place 3,023 for math proficiency.

The complete ranking of U.S. News’s Best Elementary Schools in Mission CISD is as follows:

1. Cantu Elementary
2. Mims Elementary
3. Alton Elementary
4. Salinas Elementary
5. Bryan Elementary
6. Cavazos Elementary
7. Leal Elementary
8. Marcell Elementary
9. Castro Elementary
10. O’Grady Elementary

Following the top 10, Waitz, Escobar/Rios, Midkiff and Pearson elementaries ranked in a four-way tie.

Cantu Elementary Principal Enrique Alvarez said he was proud of his campus for the designation, but he owes it all to the people Cantu Elementary serves.

“What makes it special is the hardworking and dedicated staff that I have. They’ve dedicated their teaching to the community,” Alvarez said. “We also have a very supportive community with our parents — they believe in us. And also [we have] motivated students.”

He continued, praising his Cantu Elementary family.

“We’re going to come across different challenges but we’re going to find solutions, we’re going to find actions to overcome them,” the principal said. “With this acknowledgment by the [U.S. News & World Report], it just basically tells us that we’re on the right track and we’re going to keep on being focused. It also serves as an affirmation for our community — that they believe in what we can do here at Cantu.”