High Schools in Ector County Independent School District (Isd)

The Ector County Independent School District (Isd) in Texas oversees six high schools serving grades 9-12, ranging from a small alternative campus to large comprehensive schools, and the data reveals a dramatic split between high-performing specialized academies and struggling traditional high schools.

The standout school is Odessa Collegiate Academy Early College High School, which earns a 5-star rating and ranks in the 97th percentile statewide, with test scores exceeding 85% proficiency in all subjects and a 99% graduation rate. Another rising star is George H. W. Bush New Technical Odessa, which has improved to the 94th percentile and boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate with a low student-teacher ratio of 11.2:1. In contrast, the district's two largest schools—Permian High School and Odessa High School—hold 1-star ratings and rank in the bottom 20% of Texas high schools, with test scores often half the state average and graduation rates of 88.8% and 79.0%, respectively. The Alter Educational Center serves a high-need population with the lowest performance metrics, typical for an alternative setting.

Key takeaways include that school size does not predict success—the smallest academies outperform the largest schools—and that per-student spending does not correlate with performance, as Alter spends $119,207 per student while Odessa Collegiate spends just $7,995. The district effectively operates two separate systems: high-performing specialized academies like Odessa Career And Technical Early College High School and the struggling traditional giants. Odessa High School faces a particular crisis with a 3.4% dropout rate, but the success of other schools with similar demographics shows improvement is possible through focused school models.