Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Ponder High School

Q: Is Ponder High School a good school?

Ponder High School ranks 504 th of 2009 Texas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

504^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,009 Texas High Schools

Better than 75% of Texas high schools

Summary

Ponder High School is a small, high-performing school in Ponder, TX, serving 557 students in grades 9-12 as part of the top-ranked Ponder Independent School District (Isd). This school stands out for its exceptional graduation rate of 99.2%, tied for the highest among nearby schools like Guyer High School and far exceeding Northwest High School (94.6%) and Krum High School (94.3%). With a dropout rate of just 0.2%, the lowest in the area, and a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 12.3:1, Ponder offers a personalized learning environment that helps students succeed.

Academically, Ponder consistently outperforms the state average and many larger neighbors on STAAR End-of-Course exams. In the most recent testing year, proficiency rates were notably high in Biology (79.7% vs. 70.5% statewide), English I Reading (68.0% vs. 55.4%), and U.S. History (82.1% vs. 70.2%). For example, Ponder's English II Reading score of 64.5% surpassed Denton High School (54.8%) and Krum High School (53.1%). While Argyle High School remains the top academic performer in the region, Ponder holds a strong second tier, outperforming larger districts like Denton Independent School District (Isd) and Northwest Independent School District (Isd).

However, Ponder has areas needing attention. Algebra I is a persistent weakness, with only 55.9% proficiency in the latest year, the lowest of all subjects tested. The school also shows volatility in supporting Gifted & Talented students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with significant year-over-year performance swings. Most notably, while the school excels in serving African American students (ranking in the 95th percentile), it struggles with English Language Learners, who ranked in the 25th percentile. These challenges highlight opportunities for targeted support to ensure all students thrive.

557

Students ?

12.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,107

Per pupil spending ?

37.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

500 W Bailey
Ponder, TX 76259

(940) 479-8312

District: Ponder Independent School District (Isd)

Feeder schools for Ponder High School:

Elementary:	Ponder Elementary
Middle:	Ponder J H

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.1%

Hispanic:

36.4%

Two or more races:

3.4%

See top rated Texas high schools

Compare Ponder High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 78th percentile in 2016 → 75th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Texas average (71% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓99% graduate within 4 years

✓Above the Texas median (75th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school71%

District avg72%

Texas avg62%

504^th of 2,009

Texas public high schools ?

Top 25%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Texas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

349^th of 951Ponder Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	66.9	504 of 2009	74.9%	★★★★☆
2025	60.9	650 of 1974	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.3	416 of 1990	79.1%	★★★★☆
2023	63.3	609 of 1961	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.0	659 of 1876	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.6	535 of 1861	71.3%	★★★★☆
2019	57.6	680 of 1857	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.4	536 of 1797	70.2%	★★★★☆
2017	61.5	504 of 1777	71.6%	★★★★☆
2016	69.6	390 of 1762	77.9%	★★★★☆
2015	67.0	489 of 1743	71.9%	★★★★☆
2014	63.5	562 of 1734	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	68.4	397 of 1652	76.0%	★★★★☆
2012	65.0	422 of 1603	73.7%	★★★★☆
2011	69.6	410 of 1672	75.5%	★★★★☆
2010	64.9	560 of 1568	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	70.8	354 of 1539	77.0%	★★★★☆
2008	70.3	377 of 1510	75.0%	★★★★☆
2007	70.2	412 of 1497	72.5%	★★★★☆
2006	72.8	309 of 1430	78.4%	★★★★☆
2005	68.6	411 of 1429	71.2%	★★★★☆
2004	61.7	618 of 1427	56.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	91.1	44 of 834	94.7%	★★★★★
2024	95.4	31 of 1065	97.1%	★★★★★
2023	80.0	137 of 1069	87.2%	★★★★☆
2019	49.2	433 of 1024	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.5	636 of 1013	37.2%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	39.0	1019 of 1837	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.5	849 of 1829	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.7	1292 of 1810	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.8	1138 of 1784	36.2%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	28.9	894 of 1195	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	37.5	635 of 1153	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.6	653 of 1437	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.5	882 of 1371	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.7	821 of 1278	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.0	483 of 1195	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.4	282 of 1136	75.2%	★★★★☆
2018	28.0	856 of 1113	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	61.2	615 of 1936	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.4	599 of 1504	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.2	476 of 1880	74.7%	★★★★☆
2023	61.3	616 of 1891	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.6	807 of 1841	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.7	555 of 1815	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.7	878 of 1798	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.1	539 of 1781	69.7%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	43.9	920 of 1206	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	73.2	87 of 964	91.0%	★★★★☆
2023	72.0	217 of 1182	81.6%	★★★★☆
2022	58.4	635 of 1172	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	66.6	474 of 1177	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.2	453 of 1145	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.2	728 of 1137	36.0%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	50.7	799 of 1860	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.4	523 of 1453	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.2	561 of 1805	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.4	807 of 1820	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.9	763 of 1762	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.0	825 of 1743	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.1	980 of 1714	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.8	1016 of 1691	39.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	44.5	1016 of 1937	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.6	625 of 1513	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.8	493 of 1884	73.8%	★★★★☆
2023	49.4	817 of 1897	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.1	1003 of 1847	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.5	826 of 1848	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.9	1014 of 1818	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.3	991 of 1794	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	68.8	432 of 1954	77.9%	★★★★☆
2025	62.2	406 of 1515	73.2%	★★★★☆
2024	67.2	410 of 1891	78.3%	★★★★☆
2023	62.7	572 of 1913	70.1%	★★★★☆
2022	59.8	580 of 1853	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.9	547 of 1840	70.3%	★★★★☆
2019	61.0	568 of 1824	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.2	641 of 1803	64.4%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	378 of 713	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.9	380 of 598	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.3	246 of 731	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.6	346 of 677	48.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	46.3	700 of 1581	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.2	532 of 1299	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.9	341 of 1548	78.0%	★★★★☆
2023	20.4	1335 of 1478	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	39.4	796 of 1418	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	73.2	189 of 1382	86.3%	★★★★☆
2019	68.0	234 of 1357	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	76.5	166 of 1347	87.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	67.8	366 of 1584	76.9%	★★★★☆
2025	51.9	557 of 1294	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.6	464 of 1556	70.2%	★★★★☆
2023	57.2	605 of 1576	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.6	794 of 1525	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.1	629 of 1510	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.5	762 of 1526	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.7	635 of 1539	58.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2025)95th percentile+28 vs school

Male (2026)78th percentile+3 vs school

White (2026)77th percentile~ school

Female (2026)68th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2026)57th percentile-18 vs school

Special Education (2026)56th percentile-19 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)48th percentile-27 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)47th percentile-28 vs school

At Risk (2022)45th percentile-20 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)25th percentile-50 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)24th percentile-51 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

U.S. History82%+12 vs state

Biology80%+9 vs state

English I Reading68%+13 vs state

English II Reading64%+5 vs state

Algebra I56%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Ponder High School and help other families decide.

Rate Ponder High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Ponder High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)		STAAR Mathematics (2026)		STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Ponder High School	Public	9-12	500 W Bailey	Ponder	76259	Denton County	Ponder Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 479-8312	557	45	12.3	37.2%	318 (57.1%)	10 (1.8%)	203 (36.4%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.4%)	66.9	504^th of 2009 public high schools	74.9%		60.9	650^th of 1974 public high schools	67.1%	146	55.9	79.7	68.0	64.5	82.1						$10,107
Krum High School	Public	9-12	700-A Bobcat Blvd	Krum	76249	Denton County	Krum Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 482-2601	776	54	14.2	31.2%	444 (57.2%)	29 (3.7%)	261 (33.6%)	11 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (3.6%)	45.2	1092^nd of 2009 public high schools	45.6%		48.7	945^th of 1974 public high schools	52.1%	147	35.6	71.5	50.9	53.1	69.3						$8,578
Denton High School	Public	9-12	3001 Bronco Way	Denton	76207	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 369-2000	2,083	143	14.5	53.9%	758 (36.4%)	342 (16.4%)	831 (39.9%)	69 (3.3%)	14 (0.7%)	5 (0.2%)	64 (3.1%)	44.5	1115^th of 2009 public high schools	44.5%		43.6	1073^rd of 1974 public high schools	45.6%	42	34.7	68.3	52.2	54.8	69.1						$10,107
Argyle High School	Public	9-12	6601 Canyon Falls Dr	Flower Mound	76226	Denton County	Argyle Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 262-7777	1,644	100	16.4		1,039 (63.2%)	49 (3.0%)	264 (16.1%)	198 (12.0%)	11 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	82 (5.0%)	82.4	166^th of 2009 public high schools	91.7%		85.9	122^nd of 1974 public high schools	93.8%	44	56.7	90.3	84.0	87.3	89.4						$9,112
Fred Moore High School	Public	9-12	815 Cross Timber St	Denton	76205	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 369-4000	67	7	10.1	61.2%	16 (23.9%)	11 (16.4%)	36 (53.7%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.5%)	2 (3.0%)	13.2	1755^th of 2009 public high schools	12.6%		12.2	1742^nd of 1974 public high schools	11.8%	13	11.1		0.0	21.7	51.6						$19,487
Denton County J J A E P	Public	8-12	210 S Woodrow Ln	Denton	76205	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 898-5840	10				1 (10.0%)	2 (20.0%)	6 (60.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (10.0%)								(n/a)
Denton County J J A E P	Public	5-12	214 S Woodrow Ln	Denton	76205	Denton County	Lewisville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 349-2500	16	8	1.8	81.3%	1 (6.3%)	1 (6.3%)	9 (56.3%)	4 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (6.3%)								(n/a)											$134,869
Joe Dale Sparks Campus	Public	5-12	210 S Woodrow	Denton	76205	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 349-2468	73	15	4.8	41.1%	22 (30.1%)	17 (23.3%)	27 (37.0%)	2 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (6.8%)	5.2	1880^th of 2009 public high schools	6.4%		4.2	1877^th of 1974 public high schools	4.9%	3	0.0	22.7	8.0	23.1	50.0	20.0	40.0	0.0	16.7	0.0	$26,415
Northwest High School	Public	9-12	2301 Texan Dr	Justin	76247	Denton County	Northwest Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(817) 215-0200	2,672	155	17.2		1,280 (47.9%)	370 (13.8%)	823 (30.8%)	88 (3.3%)	14 (0.5%)	12 (0.4%)	85 (3.2%)	50.4	934^th of 2009 public high schools	53.5%		52.5	847^th of 1974 public high schools	57.1%	87	27.2	72.9	55.6	61.9	71.4						$8,128
Guyer High School	Public	9-12	7501 Teasley Ln	Denton	76210	Denton County	Denton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(940) 369-1000	2,577	171	15.0	24.4%	1,323 (51.3%)	215 (8.3%)	797 (30.9%)	131 (5.1%)	9 (0.3%)	4 (0.2%)	98 (3.8%)	61.9	633^rd of 2009 public high schools	68.5%		73.6	333^rd of 1974 public high schools	83.1%	300	32.8	76.9	67.0	69.4	79.9						$9,119

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponder High School

What schools feed into Ponder High School?

Ponder High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ponder Elementary
Middle : Ponder J H

What district is Ponder High School in?

Ponder Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Ponder High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 557 students attended Ponder High School.

What is the racial makeup of Ponder High School?

Students at Ponder High School are 57% White, 36% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Is Ponder High School a good school?

Ponder High School ranks 504^th of 2009 Texas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Ponder High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

TXTexas High School Rankings

TXTexas District Rankings

Schools in Ponder, TX

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ponder High School!

Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.