Best High Schools in Zip Code 78617

Zip code 78617 in Del Valle, Texas, is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Del Valle Independent School District (Isd): the large, comprehensive Del Valle High School and the much smaller alternative Del Valle Opportunity Center.

These two schools present a stark contrast in nearly every metric. Del Valle High School serves 3,641 students and achieves a strong 95.2% graduation rate, despite 89% of its students being economically disadvantaged and its STAAR test scores falling well below state averages. In comparison, the Del Valle Opportunity Center serves just 228 students with a much higher per-student spending of $40,141 and a low 7:1 student-teacher ratio, yet its graduation rate is only 63.5% and its dropout rate is 9.2%. The Opportunity Center's academic proficiency rates are also significantly lower, ranging from 5.36% in English II to 32.5% in U.S. History, while Del Valle High School's proficiency rates range from 14.52% in Algebra I to 52.59% in U.S. History. Both schools rank in the bottom percentiles of Texas high schools, with Del Valle High School in the 14th percentile and the Opportunity Center in the 3rd percentile.

A key takeaway is the "opportunity paradox" at the alternative school: despite dramatically more resources and smaller classes, its outcomes are far worse, highlighting the immense challenges of educating a highly at-risk population. Conversely, Del Valle High School demonstrates a remarkable ability to graduate students at a high rate even when they are not meeting state proficiency benchmarks, suggesting a strong focus on keeping students on track. For parents, this data reveals a district with two very different educational paths: a large, efficient high school with a strong graduation rate, and a small, high-cost alternative school serving students with the most significant needs.