Summary:
Zip code 78561 is home to two public schools in the Lasara Independent School District (Isd), serving a small, rural community with a total enrollment of 343 students across elementary through high school grades.
Lasara High School stands out as the district's stronger performer, showing remarkable improvement. Its state ranking jumped from the 15th percentile to the 43rd percentile in one year, and it now boasts a 96.3% graduation rate with a 0.0% dropout rate. The high school also matches or nearly matches state averages in English I and II Reading. In contrast, Lasara Elementary (serving PK-8) has struggled persistently, ranking in the bottom 10% of Texas schools for three consecutive years. The elementary school faces severe challenges, with 0% of 5th graders proficient in Science and only 4.55% proficient in 5th-grade Math in a recent year. However, an interesting bright spot is the 8th-grade class, which scored well above state averages in Math (58.33% vs. 47.24%) and Social Studies (53.33% vs. 31.69%), suggesting an effective teacher or program at that level.
A key paradox is that the district spends well above the national average per student ($19,511 at the high school, $14,486 at the elementary) and maintains excellent student-to-teacher ratios (7.5:1 at the high school, 12.9:1 at the elementary). Despite these resources, overall performance remains low, indicating challenges beyond funding. The high school's dramatic turnaround—Algebra I proficiency jumping from 0% to 42.86% in one year—warrants investigation to replicate its success in the lower grades. For parents, Lasara High School offers a promising, improving environment, while Lasara Elementary requires careful consideration of its academic struggles despite strong resource investment.
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