North Texas State Hospital - Afp - Vernon

North Texas State Hospital - Afp - Vernon in Vernon, TX, is a specialized high school serving grades 8-12 with just 23 students, located on the grounds of a state hospital and part of the Vernon Independent School District (Isd).

This school is fundamentally different from a traditional high school like Vernon High School because it serves students who are also receiving medical or psychiatric care. The most striking feature is its extraordinary per-student spending of $28,732, which is nearly 2.8 times that of Vernon High School ($10,223). This high cost reflects the need for 24/7 care, security, and specialized staff. The school also maintains an incredibly low student-teacher ratio of 4.6:1, compared to 13:1 at Vernon High School, allowing for intensive, individualized instruction. While test scores fluctuate wildly due to the tiny student population and are generally low, the school has achieved a remarkable 0% dropout rate in recent years—a powerful success for a student group at extremely high risk of leaving school. This contrasts with the district's other alternative campus, the Vernon Independent School District (Isd) Opportunity Center, which also has a 0% dropout rate but serves a different population.

For parents, the key takeaway is that academic test scores are a secondary goal here. The primary mission is to provide educational stability and continuity for students undergoing intensive treatment. The fact that students are taking and passing any state exams at all, while maintaining a 0% dropout rate, is a significant achievement. The school's performance for "At Risk Students" has shown flashes of strength, reaching the 52nd percentile in 2020-2021, suggesting its specialized programs can be effective. However, performance for "Low Socioeconomic Status Students" has been very low. This is a unique environment where the focus is on keeping students engaged in their education during a challenging time in their lives.