Summary:
Zip code 78151, serving the rural community of Runge, Texas, is home to two small public schools within the Runge Independent School District (Isd): Runge Elementary (grades PK-6, 102 students) and Runge High School (grades 7-12, 60 students). The district ranks in the 14th percentile statewide, and a high percentage of students—over 73%—are economically disadvantaged.
The two schools present a stark contrast in performance. Runge High School is the standout, showing a strong upward trend in its state ranking from the 12th to the 41st percentile over three years. It excels in key graduation-required subjects, with 88.89% of students proficient in English I Reading and 80% proficient in Biology, both well above state averages. This academic strength supports a solid 92.9% graduation rate. In contrast, Runge Elementary faces significant challenges, with proficiency rates critically low across all subjects—for example, only 8.33% of 5th graders were proficient in math—and a state ranking stuck in the bottom 3% for three years.
Despite very low student-to-teacher ratios (6.1:1 at the high school, 9.4:1 at the elementary) and high per-student spending ($18,397 at the high school, $12,726 at the elementary), overall academic results are mixed. The high school’s strategic focus on core End-of-Course exams appears to be paying off, while the elementary school’s spending is not translating into achievement, suggesting deeper challenges related to curriculum or socioeconomic factors. For parents, Runge High School offers a promising, improving environment with personalized attention, while Runge Elementary requires careful consideration of its ongoing academic struggles.
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