About

Hello DRAGONS, and Welcome to Science Academy. We are known as the “nerdy school” of the STISD (South Texas Independent District), and we are PROUD of it. Here at Science Academy, every student can shine and be themselves, no matter how quirky, weird, or awesome they may be. Our main quote is “Keep Sci-Tech Weird,” and trust me, we do. Science Academy, is a magnet high-school located in Mercedes, Texas, in the STISD district. At science academy students can take a variety of different classes from science, history, english, and math. However, we do offer a variety of electives relating to both engineering and computer science, in order to expand the students' knowledge in different fields. Students can choose to take either honors level classes, AP classes, or dual credit/enrollment classes. However, our classes aren’t the only thing that makes our school special, it’s also our community!

Here at Science Academy, we have a very diverse community from people all over the RGV. Due to this, students make a variety of different connections and meet people from different areas contributing to new connections all around!

Our History

1957

The South Texas Habilitation Center opens in Edinburg, Texas, providing employment training for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

1964

Voters in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties establish the Rio Grande Independent Rehabilitation District (RGIRD) to help provide students with special needs the educational resources that local school districts in the Rio Grande Valley could not accommodate.

1967

The RGIRD incorporates the South Texas Habilitation Center to expand services, officially operating as a special-education-focused school district.

1971

Texas Senate Bill 26 is passed, allowing the RGIRD to operate as an independent school district and receive state funding through the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

1975

The district is renamed the South Texas Independent School District (STISD) and expands to serve the entire Rio Grande Valley.

1982

Texas State Board of Education member and Congressman Ruben Hinojosa promotes the concept of magnet schools in the Rio Grande Valley.

1983

The Texas Legislature approves legislation allowing STISD to operate magnet schools for the education of general students.

1984

The Regional High School of Technology (later known as Health Professions) opens, becoming STISD’s first academic magnet school.

1987

STISD begins restructuring the district with a renewed focus on academic excellence and college preparation.

1989

The South Texas High School for Mathematics and Sciences, quickly nicknamed "SciTech", opens as a school-within-a-school at the Health Professions campus, marking the founding year of the Science Academy of South Texas.

1991

Due to rapid growth and success, STISD creates a separate campus for the Science Academy, officially renaming it the Science Academy of South Texas (SAST).

1992

The Science Academy of South Texas’ permanent campus in Mercedes, Texas, is formally dedicated.