Cisco Independent School District (Isd)

The Cisco Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Texas serving 835 students across four schools: Cisco Elementary (PK-5), Cisco J H (6-8), Cisco High School (9-12), and the Cisco Learning Center (10-12). The district earns a solid 4-star rating, ranking in the 75th percentile statewide, but performance varies significantly between schools.

Cisco High School is the district's star performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 94th percentile. Its End-of-Course exam scores dramatically exceed state averages—for example, 88% proficiency in English I Reading versus 55% statewide—and it boasts a 100% graduation rate with a low 9:1 student-teacher ratio. Cisco J H is a consistent achiever, maintaining a 4-star rating for three years, and is a standout for math acceleration: 100% of its 8th graders passed the Algebra I EOC exam, far above the state average of 54%. In contrast, Cisco Elementary is the area for growth, with its state ranking dropping to the 34th percentile (2-star). Its 5th-grade math proficiency was only 26%, compared to the state average of 47%, suggesting a "pipeline problem" where students enter middle school with significant gaps.

The Cisco Learning Center is a high-risk, high-reward alternative campus serving just 12 students. It shows extreme volatility in rankings—swinging from the 71st to the 6th percentile—but maintains a 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, indicating it successfully serves its specific population despite low test scores. A spending paradox exists: the Learning Center spends the most per student ($20,393) with the smallest classes (2.9:1 ratio) yet has the lowest academic performance, while Cisco Elementary spends the least ($10,107) with the largest classes (13:1) and also struggles. This suggests that money alone isn't the solution, and the district's overall 4-star rating is largely carried by the high-performing high school and middle school.