HECTOR J GARCIA EARLY COLLEGE H S

399 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.

399

Total Students

19.0

Full-Time Teachers

21.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

88.2%

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	394
Black	1
Asian	1
Two or More	2

Hispanic
394 (98.7 %)
Two or More
2 (0.5 %)
White
1 (0.3 %)
Black
1 (0.3 %)
Asian
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:	399
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	19.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	21.0
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 9 102

Grade 10 91

Grade 11 101

Grade 12 105

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for HECTOR J GARCIA EARLY COLLEGE H S
Grade	Student Count
Grade 9	102
Grade 10	91
Grade 11	101
Grade 12	105

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for HECTOR J GARCIA EARLY COLLEGE H S
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	220	55.1%
Male	179	44.9%

High School 9th - 12th