Downs Fine Arts Academy
Public elementary school in San Benito, Texas · San Benito CISD · Grades Pre-K–5
Downs Fine Arts Academy serves 426 students in grades Pre-K–5 in San Benito (Cameron County). It is one of 21 schools in San Benito CISD. By enrollment it is the 3243rd largest of 4,726 public elementary schools in Texas (median 516 students). With 13.8 students per full-time teacher, it has fewer students per teacher than the typical Texas elementary school (14.8).
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. Rank and medians compare all 4,726 Texas elementary schools with enrollment listed on this site.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. Students per teacher = students ÷ 30.88 full-time-equivalent teachers.
School facts
| School type | Regular School |
| Level | Elementary |
| Grades | Pre-K–5 |
| District | San Benito CISD |
| County | Cameron County |
| Area type | Suburb, midsize |
| School meals | Free meals for every student (Community Eligibility Provision) |
| NCES school ID | 483879004419 |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 directory and school characteristics; area type from NCES EDGE locale codes.
Compared with the district and Texas
| This school | San Benito CISD | Texas elementary schools (median) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 426 | 9,073 | 516 |
| Students per teacher | 13.8 | 14.3 | 14.8 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligible | 72.5% | 84.8% | 72% |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. District figures add up its schools. 31% of Texas elementary schools have fewer students per teacher than this school (share of schools with a lower ratio). State test results aren't published here yet.
Downs Fine Arts Academy in context
Size
Of the 11 elementary schools in San Benito CISD, Downs Fine Arts Academy is the 6th largest, with 4.7% of the district's students. Its 8 closest elementary schools sit a median 1.6 miles away with a median enrollment of 402; Downs Fine Arts Academy is close to their typical size.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 enrollment and school type. Share of district students = this school's students ÷ the district's students. Nearest schools by straight-line distance between NCES EDGE locations.
Grades
Its largest grade is pre-K with 98 students, and its smallest is grade 2 with 51, against an average of 61 per grade. Its first and last grades are close in size: 52 in kindergarten and 56 in grade 5. It also enrolls 98 children in pre-K.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership by grade.
Students
The largest group is Hispanic students: 94.6% here and 97.9% across San Benito CISD. Students from 4 of the 7 race and ethnicity groups NCES reports are enrolled.
72.5% of its students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, against 84.8% across San Benito CISD and a median of 72% for Texas elementary schools. Under the Community Eligibility Provision, every student can eat breakfast and lunch at no charge, and families fill out no meal application.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership and school lunch program data. District shares weight each school by its enrollment.
Teachers
With 30.88 full-time-equivalent teachers for 426 students, Downs Fine Arts Academy has 13.8 students per teacher. At the median Texas elementary school ratio of 14.8, a school with 426 students would have about 28.8 teachers, so Downs Fine Arts Academy has 2.1 more.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. Expected teachers = this school's students ÷ the median students per teacher of Texas elementary schools (14.8).
Location
Downs Fine Arts Academy is in an urbanized area of 100,000 to 250,000 people, outside its principal city, which NCES calls suburb, midsize. The nearest other elementary school is Cash Elementary School, 0.7 miles away in the same district. Within 10 miles there are 37 other elementary schools, 11 of them within 5 miles.
Source: NCES EDGE school locations and locale codes, 2024-25. Distances are straight lines.
Students by race and ethnicity
| Hispanic | 94.6% |
| White | 4.9% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.2% |
56.8% of students are girls and 43.2% are boys.
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership.
Students by grade
| Pre-K | 98 |
| Kindergarten | 52 |
| Grade 1 | 59 |
| Grade 2 | 51 |
| Grade 3 | 59 |
| Grade 4 | 51 |
| Grade 5 | 56 |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25 membership.
Location and contact
1302 N Dowling, San Benito, TX 78586
Phone: (956)361-6720
Locations: NCES EDGE. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Red: Downs Fine Arts Academy. Blue: the nearest elementary schools.
Nearby elementary schools
| School | District | Distance | Students | Per teacher | Free/reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Elementary School | San Benito CISD | 0.7 mi | 611 | 16.9 | 82.2% |
| Roberts Elementary School | San Benito CISD | 0.8 mi | 303 | 15.3 | 95% |
| Fred Booth Global Leadership Academy | San Benito CISD | 1.2 mi | 441 | 16 | 93.2% |
| Sullivan Environmental Science Academy | San Benito CISD | 1.6 mi | 367 | 14.1 | 92.6% |
| Raul Garza Jr. STEAM Academy | San Benito CISD | 1.6 mi | 437 | 16.1 | 75.3% |
| IDEA Academy San Benito | IDEA Public Schools | 2.6 mi | 685 | 19 | 80.3% |
| Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary School | San Benito CISD | 2.7 mi | 271 | 13.6 | 83% |
| Horizon Montessori III - STEM Academy | Horizon Montessori Public Schools | 3.4 mi | 291 | 15 | 70.8% |
Source: NCES CCD 2024-25. Distance in a straight line between NCES EDGE locations.
Other schools in San Benito CISD
| School | Level | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amador R Rodriguez Juvenile Boot Camp | High | 9–11 | 15 |
| Angela Gerusa Leal Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 351 |
| Berta Cabaza Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 695 |
| Cash Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 611 |
| Collegiate Academy | Middle | 6–8 | 117 |
| Fred Booth Global Leadership Academy | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 441 |
| Greyhounds Online Academy | Other | K–10 | 76 |
| Hester Juvenile Detent | High | 7–11 | 40 |
| Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 271 |
| La Encantada Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 488 |
| La Paloma Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 474 |
| Miller Jordan Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 477 |
| Rangerville Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 203 |
| Raul Garza Jr. STEAM Academy | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 437 |
| Rgv Youth Recovery Home | High | 8–12 | 12 |
| Roberts Elementary School | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 303 |
| San Benito High School | High | 9–12 | 2,057 |
| San Benito Riverside Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | 558 |
| San Benito Veterans Memorial Academy | High | 9 | 645 |
| Sullivan Environmental Science Academy | Elementary | Pre-K–5 | 367 |