Summary:
The New Braunfels Independent School District (Isd) is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12 in the growing suburban area of New Braunfels, Texas, offering a clear contrast between a large, high-performing comprehensive school and a small, specialized campus.
New Braunfels High School is the district's academic anchor, enrolling 1,990 students and earning a 4-star rating with strong state rankings in the 77th percentile. It excels on STAAR EOC tests, with proficiency rates of 81.48% in Biology and 71.87% in English I, significantly outperforming state averages. In contrast, Two Rivers High School is a much smaller campus with only 82 students (grades 10-12) and historically lower ratings. Its academic performance lags far behind, with just 16.67% proficiency in English I and 46.15% in English II. Despite these differences, both schools achieve nearly identical graduation rates—96.6% for New Braunfels High and 96.3% for Two Rivers High—though Two Rivers has a higher dropout rate of 2.3% compared to 1.3%.
A key finding is the resource paradox: Two Rivers High spends significantly more per student ($12,329 vs. $8,355) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (13.2:1 vs. 17.9:1), yet its test scores are dramatically lower. This suggests the additional funding is directed at supporting a higher-needs population, with 52.44% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch compared to 26.28% at New Braunfels High. The data indicates that while Two Rivers struggles with standardized test proficiency, it remains effective at guiding students to graduation, likely through credit recovery and alternative pathways. For parents, New Braunfels High offers a traditional, high-achieving environment, while Two Rivers High provides a smaller, more resource-intensive setting for students who may need extra support.
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