Hull-Daisetta High School

Hull-Daisetta High School in Daisetta, TX, is a very small rural high school serving 105 students in grades 9-12 within the Hull-Daisetta Independent School District (Isd), a district that ranks in the bottom 5% of all Texas school districts.

This school presents a unique paradox: it spends significantly more per student ($18,066) than nearby schools—75% more than the average of its peers—and boasts an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 6.5:1. However, this high investment has not translated into strong academic results. In fact, Hull-Daisetta’s proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra I (13.5%), Biology (36.7%), and English I (31.4%) are dramatically lower than the state average and are the lowest among nearby schools. For comparison, Hardin High School, located just 6 miles away, consistently outperforms Hull-Daisetta in nearly every academic metric while spending significantly less per student ($14,523) and maintaining a much higher student-teacher ratio (17.3:1).

Despite these academic struggles, the school has a strong history of keeping students in school, with historically high graduation rates (including 100% in recent years) and very low dropout rates. This suggests a strong focus on student persistence and support, even if that support does not always lead to high standardized test scores. However, the school’s overall performance has been on a steep downward trajectory over the past decade, falling from a 3-star rating to a 1-star rating. While the school has shown some past success with "At Risk" students, it is currently struggling to serve its general student population effectively, ranking in the bottom 10th percentile for both its White and Hispanic student groups.