HECTOR J GARCIA EARLY COLLEGE H S

392 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

**Hector J. Garcia Early College High School (ECHS)**, located on the campus of Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, is a specialized academic institution within the Laredo Independent School District. Designed as an "early college," the school provides motivated students with a rigorous academic environment that allows them to earn both a high school diploma and up to 60 hours of college credit—or an associate degree—simultaneously, at no cost to the students or their families.

The school is widely recognized for its focus on college readiness and student support, catering to students who are often the first in their families to pursue higher education. By integrating high school coursework with college-level studies, the institution fosters a seamless transition to university life, emphasizing academic discipline, critical thinking, and professional preparation. Because of its location and partnership with the university, students at Garcia ECHS benefit from an immersive collegiate experience that positions them for success in competitive post-secondary pathways.

392

Total Students

19.0

Full-Time Teachers

20.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

89.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for HECTOR J GARCIA EARLY COLLEGE H S
Demographic	Student Count
White	1
Hispanic	388
Black	1
Asian	1
Two or More	1

Hispanic
388 (99.0%)
White
1 (0.3%)
Black
1 (0.3%)
Asian
1 (0.3%)
Two or More
1 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	N/A
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	LAREDO ISD
Phone:	(956)273-7700
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	392
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	19.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	20.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	314
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	38

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 109

Grade 10 100

Grade 11 94

Grade 12 89