San Antonio Independent School District (Isd)

The San Antonio Independent School District (Isd) serves 83 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, in a large urban area with a highly economically disadvantaged student population, where the average free/reduced lunch rate is about 87%.

The district is ranked 776th out of 951 in Texas, but it contains remarkable "pockets of excellence." The Young Women's Leadership Academy is the standout high school, ranked 37th in the state with a 100% graduation rate and near-perfect STAAR scores, while St Philip's College Early College High School (ranked 55th) and Travis Early College High School (ranked 157th) also achieve top 5-star ratings despite serving higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students. At the elementary level, Mark Twain Dual Language Academy (91st percentile) and Irving Dual Language Academy (72nd percentile) are top performers. In contrast, schools like Healy-Murphy (1st percentile, 37.7% graduation rate) and Carvajal Elementary (0th percentile) face severe challenges. The district also shows a "middle school slump," with most middle schools ranking in the bottom 10-20% of the state, though Agnes Cotton Academy (72nd percentile) is a notable exception.

A key finding is that per-student spending does not guarantee success—Travis Early College High School spends a modest $10,435 per student while ranking in the top 200 statewide, whereas Daep spends over $282,000 per student but ranks in the 2nd percentile. Additionally, the "Algebra I Anomaly" shows that middle schools like Harris Middle and Whittier Middle have single-digit math proficiency in general grades but high Algebra I scores, indicating advanced students are separated from the struggling majority. Overall, specialized programs like dual language and early college high schools are clear drivers of success, while poverty, though a challenge, is not an insurmountable barrier, as schools like Franklin Elementary (91% free/reduced lunch) achieve 3-star ratings.