Rising Star Independent School District (Isd)

The Rising Star Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural Texas district serving just 181 students across two schools: Rising Star High School (grades 6-12) and Rising Star Elementary (Pre-K through 5th grade). The district earns a 2-star rating, ranking in the 37th percentile statewide, but the two schools tell very different stories.

Rising Star High School is the district's standout success, having made a remarkable "comeback" by jumping from the 27th percentile (1 star) in 2024-2025 to the 58th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. It boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate. The high school excels in English Language Arts, with proficiency rates in English I (63.64%) and English II (64.29%) exceeding state averages. However, it struggles significantly in math, with only 12.5% of students proficient in Algebra I. In stark contrast, Rising Star Elementary is in a state of crisis, ranking in the 11th percentile (1 star) and consistently landing in the bottom 10% of Texas elementary schools. The elementary school faces severe challenges in math and science, with 0% of 5th graders proficient in science and only 14.29% proficient in math.

Despite enviable resources—including low student-teacher ratios (10:1 at elementary, 8.3:1 at high school) and above-average per-pupil spending ($10,198 and $12,226 respectively)—the elementary school's poor performance suggests deeper issues with curriculum or instructional quality rather than funding. The high school's volatile ranking history (from 37th to 27th to 58th percentile) highlights how small enrollment numbers can cause dramatic swings. Overall, the district presents a tale of two schools: a high school showing strong improvement and English proficiency, and an elementary school in urgent need of intervention, particularly in math and science.