Best Public Schools in Zip Code 79102

Zip code 79102 in Amarillo, Texas, is home to four schools within the Amarillo Independent School District (Isd), serving a mix of elementary and high school students with no middle schools present. The standout school is Amtech Career Academy, a tiny high school with only 22 students and a 0% dropout rate, which historically ranked #1 in the state but lacks recent test scores. In contrast, Tascosa High School is the largest school with 2,176 students, performing near state averages in most subjects except Algebra I, where only 33.83% of students are proficient compared to the state's 54.03%. The two elementary schools, Bivins Elementary and Sanborn Elementary, both struggle academically, with Sanborn ranking in the bottom 15th percentile of Texas elementary schools and being the only school in the area to administer the STAAR test in Spanish.

Key metrics reveal significant disparities in economic disadvantage and resources. Sanborn Elementary has the highest poverty rate at 93.32% of students on free or reduced lunch, while Amtech Career Academy has the lowest at 13.64%. Spending per student varies dramatically: Amtech spends an extraordinary $391,219 per student, over 30 times more than the average of $10,454 at the other schools. Student-teacher ratios are low across the board, with Amtech at 4.6:1, Sanborn at 13.9:1, Tascosa at 15.4:1, and Bivins at 15.8:1. Tascosa High School has a graduation rate of 91.5%, slightly below the district average of 93.5%.

Interesting findings include the strong link between poverty and performance, with higher-poverty schools like Sanborn and Bivins scoring well below state averages in reading and math. For example, Bivins' 4th Grade Math proficiency is 22.81% versus the state's 49.28%. Amtech's tiny size and massive per-student spending suggest a highly specialized program, but its lack of recent data makes current effectiveness unclear. Tascosa High's Algebra I scores are a notable weakness, potentially impacting college readiness. Overall, parents should consider that while Tascosa offers a solid, average high school experience, the elementary schools face significant challenges that may require additional support.