Summary:
The Fredericksburg Independent School District (Isd) in Texas oversees two high schools—Fredericksburg High School and Gillespie County High School—serving grades 9-12 in a community where these schools present a stark contrast in size, performance, and mission.
Fredericksburg High School is the district's flagship, a large comprehensive school with over 1,000 students that earns a strong 4-star rating and ranks in the 61st percentile statewide. It boasts a near-perfect 97.8% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate, with students consistently outperforming state averages in subjects like U.S. History (80% proficient) and Biology. In contrast, Gillespie County High School is a very small alternative campus with only 19 students, earning a 0-star rating and ranking in the bottom 5% of Texas high schools. Its graduation rate is lower at 88.2%, and its academic performance is dramatically weaker—for example, only 20% of its students were proficient in U.S. History compared to the district's 78.89%.
Key metrics highlight the divide: Fredericksburg High School has a favorable 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $11,080 per student, while Gillespie County High School has a higher 19:1 ratio and slightly lower spending at $10,970. Both schools serve a significant percentage of students from low-income families (over 50%), but the smaller school's higher poverty rate (57.89%) aligns with its greater challenges. Notably, Fredericksburg High School showed unusual volatility in Algebra I scores, dropping from 50% to 26.37% in one year, suggesting a district-wide math challenge. Overall, the district's 4-star rating is driven almost entirely by its main high school, while the alternative campus serves a specialized, at-risk population that requires targeted support.
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