Wichita Falls Independent School District (Isd)

The Wichita Falls Independent School District (Isd) serves 20 schools—14 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools—in north Texas, and overall ranks in the 35th percentile statewide with a 2-star rating, indicating performance below the state average.

Performance varies dramatically across the district. The standout is Sheppard Afb Elementary, which ranks in the 90th percentile (4-5 stars) and has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate at 18.59%, with test scores 20-40 points above district averages. Other top performers include West Foundation Elementary and Fowler Elementary, both 4-star schools in the 81st percentile. At the other end, Booker T Washington Elementary and Zundelowitz Elementary rank in the 1st and 4th percentiles (0 stars), with poverty rates above 90% and test scores critically low. Middle schools show a bright spot in advanced math: Barwise Middle (98.44%) and McNiel Middle (93.1%) achieve near-perfect Algebra I EOC proficiency, far exceeding state averages. However, high schools struggle—Memorial High School and Legacy High School both rank below the 40th percentile, with scores in core subjects significantly below state averages.

A key takeaway is that higher per-student spending does not correlate with higher test scores; the lowest-performing schools like Burgess Elementary ($13,598/student) spend the most, while top performers like Sheppard Afb spend less ($9,836/student). The Wichita County Juvenile Justice Aep is a unique case serving 15 high-need students with very low scores but a 0% dropout rate. Overall, the district’s biggest challenge is overcoming the strong link between poverty and low academic performance, as seen in the four lowest-ranked elementary schools all having poverty rates above 85%.